Cabin Fever
by coldplaywhore
Summary: Trying to hide from their separate lives in Seattle and Los Angeles, Edward and Bella accidently end up at a cabin together for two weeks leading up to Christmas. They can't stand each other, but will that mutual hate eventually lead to more? EXB Lemons
1. The Unexpected

**A/N: Yes, another story. I know. In fact, I was discussing potential stories with flightlessbird11 and this wasn't the one I mentioned that I wanted to work on. It's been playing around in the back of my mind all weekend, thus making it impossible for me to work on my other two stories. This won't be updated again for a few days, but once 'Follow Through' is completed, I'm sure I will try to update ASAP**

**Please review and let me know what you think. I have dozens of ideas for this love/hate story**

**BPOV**

I was stressed. Actually if I could find just one particular word to describe what was going on in my life right now it would be _fuckedupbeyondbeliefstressedworriedanxioustensepieceofshit._ I needed to get out of Seattle as quickly as possible and I had no idea where to go. I couldn't even afford to go far, but there was one place I knew I definitely couldn't go and that was back to Forks. I called Alice during my lunch break and practically broke down while we talked on the phone. So much for enjoying my sandwich and yogurt, I thought as I asked Alice what I should do about everything.

Alice Cullen and I had been friends since our senior year in high school back in Forks, Washington. She was the youngest in her family and both of her older brothers had already left for college by the time I moved in with my father Charlie to finish up my schooling. I hadn't wanted to go anywhere near Forks at the time, but Alice made everything more bearable; starting with my orientation on the first day which she took me on per the request of the principal. I would be forever indebted to Principal Jones for introducing us, because six years later, we were still the best of friends. We even shared an apartment for a short while in Seattle, before she moved in with her boyfriend Jasper Whitlock.

Throughout our friendship, I had developed a kinship with her mother Esme, most likely due to the lack of relationship with my own mother. Esme was so kind and caring; I was envious of the friendship she and Alice had created together. I never got the chance to meet her older brothers Emmett and Edward, but that was merely due to bad timing on all of our parts. Whenever they were in town for the holidays, I was always away visiting Renee. Neither of them came home during the summer, always choosing to stay in Southern California where they went to school, and now worked. I was also envious of the relationship Alice had with her brothers. They were both extremely protective of her, even from afar. It was really kind of sweet, and sometimes it made me wish I had an older brother of my own.

"Take a vacation Bella. Go have some hot no strings attached sex with some hot guy and then come home, feeling cool, calm and collected," she suggested with a gentle laugh. "Ooh, go to Hedonism."

"I can't afford a vacation Alice. I just need to get away from my life for a few days, weeks maybe. I have vacation time at work to use and we shut down for a few days around Christmas, so I can easily get two weeks off. I just can't sit around my apartment staring at all the reminders of my past failures. I need to get away." I was impatient and moody, and I was taking my frustrations out on Alice, which I apologized for the moment the words sprung from my mouth.

"I do have one suggestion," she started to say anxiously. "My parents have a nice little cabin in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Sure it's in the middle of nowhere, but I don't think anyone is using it over the holidays, so I'm sure Esme would have no problem lending it to you." Alice was so sweet to offer the Cullen Family cabin, and I hadn't even thought of it as a retreat for the emotional breakdown I was having. "I'll call Esme to see if it's free and then I'll call you back tonight. If you do decide to use it, you will have to drive to Forks to get the keys Bella. Are you prepared for that?" I grunted anxiously into the phone and she hung up. I went back to work and when I was finished for the day, I drove slowly back to my apartment, not exactly eager to face everything that was waiting for me there. All the reminders of Jacob. I shuddered even to think his name at that moment

Once I got home, I got changed into a t-shirt and yoga pants and started to make dinner. I was anxiously awaiting my call back from Alice. After dinner, I paced nervously around my living room and started to throw some small things into a box to give back to my ex-boyfriend. There was his Limp Bizkit CD which I had loathed from the moment he bought. I took a lighter to the underside of the CD before sliding it back into its case, making it look untouched. I was bitter, but I thought I had a right to be. I found a few more CD's of his, all crap 80's hair metal bands and tossed them into the box as well. Then I found the only book I had ever seen him read, 'Guitar Playing For Dummies' and threw it into the box with everything else. Even some of my own belongings that reminded me completely of him were discarded into the box. As I glared over at my coffee table, where everything was piling up, I realized that I would definitely need a bigger box to hold all of his crap.

The phone rang moments later, while I was searching through my closet for a larger box. It was Alice and I was very relieved to hear from her. "So, Esme says the cabin is free until like February, so if you need it, it's all yours." I was elated. Being away in Jackson Hole would be perfect. I could regroup and come to my senses, deal with everything going on in my life in private. I checked over the calendar on my wall in the kitchen and decided I would head out to Forks on December 5th, which was this coming Friday to pick up the keys from Esme. I would stay for two weeks, giving me enough time to get over my problems and then make it back to Forks for a quick Christmas with Charlie, before heading back to my life in Seattle. I explained the dates I wanted the cabin to Alice, who promised to relay the details to Esme. I thanked Alice profusely for her help and once we were finished, I went back to clearing my apartment of all the memories of Jacob Black.

It had been two weeks since we broke up, and things were slightly unbearable. It was made even worse by the fact that we worked in the same building together. I saw him every day, and even though he had broken my heart, I wasn't longing for him. It was quite the opposite actually. When I saw him, I kept imagining different forms of torture I would unleash on him for wasting the past two years of my life. My father Charlie was on Team Jacob from the I told him about the breakup. Of course, I didn't give him any specifics, otherwise he would probably stop being friends with the entire Black Family, and I didn't want him to lose his best friend because Jacob couldn't keep it in his pants, ever. Charlie kept insisting that Jacob and I were soul mates, even from the first moment we met six years ago back in Forks. It was Charlie's unwavering support of Jacob that made me not want to return to Forks in a few days. I wasn't even going to tell Charlie I was going to be in town. I planned to go to the Cullen's house, grab the keys and thank Esme and Carlisle profusely for their generosity before turning around and driving back to Seattle to pack up my little Passatt and head to Jackson Hole the next morning.

When I got to work the next morning, I pulled the box with Jacob's belongings in it from my trunk and deposited it at the front door of his office, with a small note on top basically telling him to go fuck himself. I then took the stairs the four floors up to my office and quickly wrote up a vacation request asking for the next two weeks off. As I handed it to my boss Angela, she looked at me sympathetically. She knew I had been out of sorts for a few days now and quickly signed the paper, advising me to relax and take some time for myself before coming back. I had an awesome job as a book editor, but it was made worse by my current situation. She handed me a few manuscripts and said I could read them while I was away. There was no hurry on the reviews, and she said they could wait until after Christmas holidays were over. I nodded my head and grabbed three of them. They would definitely help to take my mind off of things while I was away in Wyoming.

A few days later, after visiting Forks quickly to pick up the keys, I found myself driving down the US-90 towards Spokane, singing out loud to Fiona Apple's "Criminal'. It was very liberating. Sure, I had brought a bit of work with me, but it was nothing I couldn't handle within a few days. I kept thinking that I was running away from my problems with Jacob by going to the cabin, but I didn't care. I needed to put some distance between myself and the situation. Plus, this also gave Jacob the prime opportunity to move the rest of his crap from my apartment. That was another thing that was going to have to change… my apartment. Everything bad that had happened recently had gone down in my little 1,100 square foot condo, and I couldn't bear to be within its walls most nights.

Sometimes I would even wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, thinking about what I saw when I walked into the apartment a few weeks earlier; _Jacob, completely naked, hovering above some blonde skank on my leather couch as he fucked her_. The leather couch I saved up for months to purchase for myself before I even started dating him. He thought I was away meeting potential authors in Chicago, but in my stupidity I flew home early to surprise him. I think I might need to burn the couch when I get back after Christmas.

**EPOV**

"Edward, where are you?" called the nasally voice from the other room. I wanted to cower in fear in my closet, but I was a twenty six year man, I don't cower. I walked from the bedroom and into the living room where I was face to face with Lauren again. "Are you coming?" she asked anxiously as she tapped her foot along the hardwood floor. I wanted to rip her feet off so that I didn't have to hear that noise again.

"I don't think Edward's going anywhere," said Emmett as he laughed from the couch where he had sat for the past hour, watching the scene unfold before him. I had been trying to break up with Lauren since we had a one night stand almost two months ago. She wouldn't go away. I already told her four times, in no uncertain terms, that we should start to see other people, but she kept showing up here. Even worse was that Stan, my doorman, kept letting her in because he assumed we were in an exclusive relationship. Of course, this is what Lauren had told him.

"Ok… do I have to paint you a picture?" Was she really this dense? "I don't want you. I never wanted you, and I was really drunk the only time we hooked up. You weren't even that fucking good," I yelled at her angrily. I felt bad that I had to resort to insults, but she just wouldn't go away.

"He's right ya know," said Emmett through his laugh induced tears. "He told me for days afterwards how bad you were." I glared down at Emmett in disgust, but actually kind of hoping that his additional comments would be enough to wake her up and realize what was going on.

"We have reservations at Il Sole with some friends, we're going to be late," she said again with a smile. What the fuck. I honestly think she might be part robot, because she clearly wasn't getting what was happening here.

"No. I'm not going anywhere with you, EVER. We are breaking up, not that I ever really considered us together anyways. Don't come over again. Don't call me and don't let my doorman let you into the apartment. Leave me the fuck alone Lauren," I spat at her as I gently pushed her into the hallway and slammed the door, locking it behind me.

"I think you have a stalker," laughed Emmett. "Think positive though, at least we'll be leaving soon to go spend Christmas with mom and dad, so you can hide from her for a few days." I nodded my head in agreement as I sunk down onto the oversized recliner Emmett had purchased last year for his birthday. I needed to get away from Los Angeles, and fast. I was bored with the city, the people and especially the women. The only thing really keeping me here these days was Emmett, and even though I loved my brother, it wasn't going to be able to hold me in L.A. for much longer.

"I think I need a break from all of this shit," I said with a grin as I took a sip of the beer I opened before Lauren stumbled into the apartment insisting we had plans. "I think I might drive up to the cabin in Wyoming for a few days and then meet you in Seattle in time for Christmas." I looked over at Emmett and he was laughing again.

"So, you're going to run away from your stalker? Leaving me here to deal with her?"

"Yes. If she comes back again, I seriously might have to file a restraining order against her. She probably still wouldn't take the hint though," I said through clenched teeth. "You do realize you are completely to blame for this, right?"

"How the fuck is this my fault? You slept with her, not me. I wouldn't put my dick anywhere near her. Even being in the same apartment as you too was enough to cause major shrinkage," joked Emmett as he shoved a few Doritos into his mouth and smiled at me like a twelve year old kid.

"You were the one who took me drinking, at some strange club in West Hollywood. All I wanted was to stay home and enjoy my bottle of Jameson's' by myself. I didn't need to go out and get hammered and bring her home. I was so drunk I even brought her home. I never bring girls home, you know that." I was frustrated both with myself and with my brother, but I was placing all the blame on him because I didn't want to face the facts that I was just as much to blame as the entire bottle of Whiskey I had that night.

"Okay, so head off to Jackson Hole for a week or two. Then we'll meet at the Sea-Tac airport and head off to the prison known as the Cullen House, that we both know and hate," sighed Emmett as I nodded in agreement.

"I think it's a good idea. Just load up the Volvo with some supplies and head on out of here. It's not like I need to report to anyone at work," I laughed to myself as Emmett joined in. We worked together, in our own advertising company that we had formed with some of our trust fund right out of college. We were very successful, but we didn't flaunt it, which was probably why I still lived with Emmett instead of in some big Malibu mansion that we could each afford separately.

"Are you gonna tell mom and dad?" he asked as he reached for the remote and turned on the Seahawks game on ESPN.

"No, why bother? They aren't using it, and we certainly know Alice won't be there. I'll just get the spare key from behind the mailbox, and I'll be good to go." Emmett nodded his head and turned back towards the game. It was now December 5th. I could have the car packed and be on the road first thing in the morning. It would only take about 16 hours to get there, depending on how many stops I have to take, but without Emmett it probably wouldn't be too many. Last time we drove from L.A. to Jackson Hole, he made us stop in Las Vegas for three days and Esme was livid when we finally strolled in. Emmett was drunk and had ten thousand dollars less in his bank account.

The next morning I bid my brother a fond farewell and hoped into the Volvo, desperate to get out of town. Traffic on the US-10 was horrible getting out of L.A. and probably set me back an hour, but I finally pulled into the long driveway of our cabin just before after midnight on the Sunday morning. Unfortunately for me, there was a light on in the cabin which was most unexpected, and a small black Passatt parked to the left of the house. I didn't know anyone who drove a VW and was instantly concerned that perhaps we were being robbed. _What kind of burglar drives a passatt_? I sarcastically asked myself as I climbed the front stairs slowly to peer in the window.

I looked into the living room and saw a fire was burning brightly in the fireplace, and there was a mess of long brown hair on the couch, someone was clearly sleeping. I grabbed the key from the mailbox and opened the door tentatively. I had no idea what was going on.


	2. Compromise

**A/N: Here's another chappie. I couldn't sleep, yet again. Anyways, I promise I will not be abandoning my other stories to work on this one. They will be written simultaneously, but fans of 'Follow Through' already know that it is nearing its end, so eventually this will be updated more often.**

**Thanks to everyone for the lovely reviews, I love that some people follow me from story to story and constantly praise my lackluster abilities. Thank god for my overactive imagination.**

**Amigirl – I have no idea where the concept for this story came from. I was just hanging out with friends on Saturday at the Planet Hollywood Casino and wondered what the hell would happen if Edward and Bella were stuck in a cabin for two weeks, with very little contact with the outside world and they couldn't stand each other. So here's what we end up with! Enjoy!**

**EPOV**

As I walked tentatively into the living room, I could hear soft music coming from the speakers which ran through the house. This person clearly knew where to find the stereo, I thought to myself as I creeped slowly towards the couch and listened to Elvis Costello's 'Alison' start in the background. Well, apparently my squatter has good taste in music. I suddenly felt very nervous as I stepped further into the living room noticed it was a woman who was asleep on the beige oversized leather couch in my family's cabin. I myself I had fallen asleep easily in that same spot during the several years my parents had owned the cabin. They had bought it during my final year of high school, but I never got the opportunity to enjoy it as much as my parents and Alice had. The very first year we owned the place; we ended up spending Christmas here and were snowed in for three additional days. It was torture, and we haven't been back during the holidays since. Usually when the family comes down, I'm too busy with work to even consider joining them.

I looked down on her as she slept, and she looked remarkably peaceful and shockingly beautiful. Her long brown hair was scattered across the arm of the couch and she was wrapped in the small red and white quilt that Esme always kept thrown over the back of the sofa. I wanted to say something to her. I wanted to wake her up and find out how she had gotten into the house and what she was doing there, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to shove her off the couch to wake her up, like I had done several weeks ago when I found Lauren in my bed, uninvited. So instead, I sat down in the armchair across from the couch and waited for her to wake up on her own.

I listened to the music that was streaming through the house. It switched from Elvis Costello to the Beatles and then to the Rolling Stone's 'Paint it Black', which was one of my all-time favorites. I looked through the room and noticed a book on the table in front of her and checked it out, 'Persuasion' by Jane Austen. I should have figured she liked the classics. Even though I didn't know this girl she certainly looked well educated. Unfortunately, while I was waiting, I fell asleep awkwardly in the chair and was rudely woken up by loud screaming only half an hour later with I my neck and shoulder aching from the position I was sleeping in.

"Jesus Christ, shut up," I yelled at her as she jumped from the couch in panic. She leapt behind it and started running towards the kitchen, quieting her screams as she moved. I immediately envisioned her running for the large knife set on our counter and trying to stab me crazily, but instead she grabbed her purse and fished out a container of pepper spray, holding it up in front of me. I shouldn't have had such graphic images of my possible death, but after spending time with Lauren, who I seriously think escaped from some sort of mental facility, it had been a regular occurrence.

"Get the fuck out before I call the cops," she screamed at me, trying to sound confident but instead coming across as scared. She was shaking and all I could do was stare at her big brown eyes. They were a dark shade of brown and complimented her hair and skin tone perfectly. _Why the hell was I thinking about her eyes while she threatened me with pepper spray? _I started to laugh as she trembled in fear and backed further in to the kitchen, finally ending up with her back against the island.

"I'm not leaving. I own this place. Well, my parents own this place, so if anyone is going somewhere, that would be you," I said confidently as she slowly lowered the pepper spray to her side, but still clutching it tightly, anticipating the need for it in the future.

"I'm an invited guest of Esme and Carlisle Cullen. Who the hell are you?" She was certainly calming down, but still looked scared as hell. "Are you Emmett or Edward?"

"I'm Edward. Now you can tell me who you are before I kick your ass out for trespassing." I was still livid that my peaceful time was being ruined by this girl, no matter how pretty she was. I came here to relax and do as little as possible, not deal with some emotional chick who claimed she knew my family. With a computer, internet access and the ability to use Google, everyone could know my family.

"I'm Bella. I'm Alice's best friend," she said as she walked back towards the living room and nervously extended her free hand to m, the other one still holding onto the pepper spray for dear life. I took her hand in mine and shook it gently. _She had really soft hands_; I thought to myself as I sat back down in my chair and was relieved the confrontation was over. "Esme assured me no one would be here, so what the hell are you doing here?"

Great, she had permission from my parents and I was the one interfering. If I called my mom she would no doubt tell me to get the hell out, which I wasn't planning to do. "I came here to get away from the stress that is my life back in L.A. I didn't think my parents would mind if I used the cabin because I knew neither they nor Alice would be down here. I had no idea they would have lent it to you though," I replied sarcastically as I looked around the cabin carefully, inspecting everything that came across my eye line.

Not too much had changed in the year since I had last been here. The kitchen was as big as I remembered it, fully stocked with every possible appliance and when I checked out the fridge, I noticed Bella had clearly done some grocery shopping. There was no beer or wine so I would need to rectify that in the morning when I headed into town. I wandered up to the second floor and checked out the bedrooms. I had to laugh because Bella didn't claim the master suite, like I had expected her to. She had actually claimed my old bedroom. I looked down from the balcony into the living room and she was watching me like a hawk.

"Are you trying to make sure I didn't steal anything?" she asked in frustration as she tossed a log gently onto the fire and stared back up at me.

"No, I'm trying to decide what room I should sleep in," I said with a laugh as I decided to use Emmett's because Alice's was too girly for my liking. Even though it was a log cabin, and she couldn't paint the walls, it still had pink accessories everywhere and some furry little pillows that reminded me of when she was fifteen and my parents bought the cabin.

"I think you should sleep somewhere other than here," she replied angrily. I didn't respond, instead opting to head out to the car for a moment to grab my things, putting them into Emmett's room. I would definitely have to sneak into my room later and pick up a few things that I wanted, including my worn out copy of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. It had been my favorite book since I was eight, and I hadn't read it in a while because I accidently left it here a few years ago. "No seriously, you can't stay here."

"Why not? This is a four bedroom, two story cabin with tons of room. I doubt you'll even notice I'm here. It's not like you are staying that long anyways, right?" I asked curiously. God I hoped she was leaving soon so I could get back to the privacy I came here for.

"I'm actually here until the twenty third, and then I have to drive home to have Christmas with my father." So she was actually here for two weeks, just like I had planned. Damn it. I'm just going to make do with the situation. I'm sure we can avoid each other for fifteen days or so.

"Well, you're stuck with me. I'm not driving the sixteen hours back to L.A. and you seem pretty determined that you aren't going anywhere, so let's just avoid each other alright?" I asked as I descended back down the stairs to the living room where she was getting comfy on the couch.

"You can stay tonight, but tomorrow morning, I'm calling Alice and Esme and you are going anywhere but here." God she was being a bitch.

**BPOV**

To say I was shocked was probably an understatement. When I woke from my uneasy nap on the couch, I noticed a pair of sneakers resting on the coffee table, and attached to them was someone I didn't know. I screamed out on instinct and instantly regretted it. I had woke him up and he was almost as upset as I was. "Jesus Christ, shut up," he had yelled at me furiously as I ran to the kitchen and grabbed my pepper spray from my purse. It was one of the only times I was thankful that Charlie had given it to me for my birthday a few years ago. I had deemed it an impractical gift, but it was certainly helpful today.

My first instinct was that this was a burglar. I don't know why a burglar would have a nap in an armchair during a robbery, but what else could I have thought. I certainly didn't think it was Alice's brother Edward. I was relieved when we finally got past the yelling and introduced ourselves, but I was not happy to find out he planned to stay, even though Esme and Carlisle had specifically lent me the cabin till the twenty third. I l decided the best thing I could do would be to let him stay the night and we would deal with the situation in the morning. After all, it was almost one o'clock in the morning when we finally calmed down and I put the pepper spray back in my bag, determined not to harm him.

He put his bags in the last bedroom at the top of the stairs, which I assumed was his when he stayed here previously. He didn't seem cool enough to have owned the room I chose to sleep in, although it was definitely a male's room. I couldn't bear to spend all my time in either Alice's room or the master bedroom. It just didn't seem right to me, so I picked the best of the rest. There were actual prints of art on the wall, not just football posters. There was a bookshelf covered in random books, most of which I had already read, and there were some CD's scattered about which included Tom Waits, Jeff Buckley and Ben Folds Five. The bed was comfortable, but not overdone like in Alice's room where there were pillows everywhere, including a few covered in faux fur. Thank god no animals were harmed in the making of those catastrophes, I had thought to myself at the time.

When I finally relented to let him stay the night, his face broke out into a small smile and for the first time I could actually see how handsome he was. He had a thick mess of bronze colored hair falling over his extremely defined face and his bright green eyes. He looked just like Carlisle, but without the blonde hair that Carlisle was well known for. He looked tired though, like he hadn't slept in a while. Then again, he had just driven from Los Angeles, so that was to be expected. As I wished him a pleasant night's sleep, I wandered up the stairs to my bedroom and quickly undressed, slipping under the heavy comforter and pulling the pillows down to me, to wrap my body around them. I fell asleep within minutes.

The next morning, I was awoken by some loud bangs and noises from the main floor. I immediately hopped out of bed and looked down to the kitchen from the balcony to find Edward making breakfast, with my food.

"Oh my god, are you dense?" I yelled as I stomped into the kitchen in frustration. "You're not supposed to be here, and I never once said you could eat my food."

"I'm not eating your food; I'm cooking with it and I'm sure once you've had one of my omelet's, you won't be as mad. In fact, you'll probably even let me eat some of it," he answered confidently. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and stretched my arms up and over my head.

"I doubt that Edward," I replied sarcastically. "You can finish making your breakfast, but please don't touch my stuff without asking. Especially the food." I huffed indignantly and walked over to the coffee machine, which was dripping slowly into the carafe. Bastard had even used my precious coffee. I am going to be pissed if he didn't make it right. I hopped up onto the counter and waited impatiently for the coffee to finish. As soon as it was done, Edward handed me a coffee mug from the cupboard and ignored me while he finished cooking. I had to admit, it smelled pretty good, although I wouldn't tell Edward that. He was already an ass; I didn't need him to be all cocky.

"Here," he said a few minutes later as he slid a plate with toast, omelet and hash browns toward me across the island counter. I offered up a tiny smile and thanked him for the food. "I'm seriously not here to fuck up whatever it is you are doing here. It was a complete accident that we ended up here together, but I don't want to leave. I have some stuff to work out and I need the peace and quiet." He was trying to be genuine with me, but I could tell he was just trying to sweet talk me into allowing him to stay. I knew that if I had to call Esme, she would kick Edward out because she had given me permission to stay here, not him.

"Well, I need it for the same reason you do. I have a whole bunch of shit I need to figure out about my life, and I don't need you as a distraction." I said as I took a bite of the excellent breakfast he had made.

"How about we compromise?" he offered sweetly as he pushed the ketchup towards me, clearly noticing I wanted it for my eggs.

"What do you have in mind?" My interest was definitely piqued, but I didn't agree to anything immediately. I decided to hear Edward out on his compromise and then make an informed decision. It was basically what I did with the manuscripts I read, except I didn't listen to them I read them.

"I propose a trial run. We stay for a few days, and if we don't manage to kill one another and we stay out of each other's way, then we can finish out the two weeks and go back to Forks for the holidays." I sat in silence as I ate the rest of the breakfast, before retreating to the kitchen to clean up all the dishes. "Are you going to speak to me?" He asked after almost ten minutes of silence.

"I'm still thinking," I replied haughtily. "You're still here, so I'm obviously not kicking you out yet. I just don't want you to interfere with the reason I am here. I really do have a lot going on in my head and heart these days and I nice to just clear my head. If I agree to this arrangement, will you promise to steer clear of me unless I say otherwise?" I inquired curiously as his face lit up into one of the most beautiful smiles I had ever seen.

"Only if you extend me the same courtesy," he replied sweetly as he handed me his plate to rinse off and put in the dishwasher.

"Okay, so here are the ground rules. One, we stay away from each other unless it is mutually agreed upon. Two, you will leave my food alone and go buy your own. Three, we each have veto power on the music that is played in the house. I have very particular tastes and I don't think I can handle listening to Limp Bizkit or Eminem or whatever the hell it is you listen to." I thought these were decent rules. I hadn't even turned the TV on once since I had arrived yesterday, and music was much more calming to me anyways. I really didn't want to have to listen to any bands or songs I hated, and I'm sure he felt the same way.

"Four, you will keep your hands off any beer or wine I buy. Five, if my door is closed, don't even bother knocking," he said a little fiercely. I didn't even want to think about what he would be doing behind closed doors, but it probably involved having phone sex with his stuck up bitch of a girlfriend back in L.A. They were probably perfectly suited to one another because they both had vapid personalities.

"Oh and rule number six, no one can know about this. If Alice or Esme knew, they would both be pissed at you for coming here in the first place and then at me for not saying anything." I watched as Edward nodded his head in agreement and extended his hand to me to shake upon our mutually agreed upon rules. I shook it fiercely and went back to cleaning the kitchen, as Edward disappeared back up the stairs to his bedroom. This was going to be a very long few days if he kept up with his absolutely atrocious personality.

I was stuck in heaven with the devil. What the hell was I thinking?


	3. Grey in LA

**A/N: Thanks again to all my lovely readers and reviewers. All your comments have been very supportive, even if there aren't that many. I hope everyone enjoys this as much as my other stories, although I probably won't update it for a few more days. I'm working on my epic epilogue for 'Follow Through'. Enjoy!**

**Oh and lovebuggkiss… I had heard of the movie 'cabin fever' before I wrote this, but I hadn't seen it. I can write a decent fan fic, but my titles always suck, so please don't think of that movie when your read this. LOL.**

**EPOV**

When Bella and I finally shook upon our rules for the house, I was actually kind of relieved that she had let me stay. Sure, I could have afforded to rent a nice hotel room or even my own separate cabin somewhere here in Jackson Hole, but that wasn't the point of me coming here. I wanted to come somewhere I was comfortable to be able to sort everything out. I headed upstairs and quickly had a shower, throwing on some old jeans and grey t-shirt covered with a sweatshirt before getting ready to head out to the store. Since Bella would barely let me look at her food, I knew I was going to need to get something for the next few days.

"Do you need anything at the store?" I asked politely before I stepped out the front door. Bella was on the couch reading what looked like a script and ignored me completely. _Alright then, be a bitch_, I thought to myself as I got into my car and drove away in anger. Two could play at that game.

I stumbled through the grocery store, picking up things I could make easily, while still avoiding Bella. I also picked up a few bottles of whiskey and a case of beer. There was a definite chance I would be drinking a lot of booze if things continued they way they were. I wasn't opposed to getting to know Bella, but I didn't want it to interfere in my objective. I picked up a few packages of chicken, some ground beef, pasta and other miscellaneous essentials and went to pay for my groceries. As I headed home, I was eager to get everything put away, pour myself a glass of whiskey and curl up on the oversized couch in my parents' bedroom for a few hours in an effort to try to figure things out.

When I finally got back into the house, Bella was nowhere to be found, and I was relieved that n o arguments would ensue the moment I walked in. I emptied my groceries into the fridge, moving things around so that we each had a shelf with our own items on it. I figured she might actually appreciate this, but then again she probably wouldn't. She seemed bipolar enough to not appreciate any help or assistance, especially from someone she appeared to loathe, like me.I grabbed my drink and climbed the stairs to my parents' room, taking a peek around the second floor for her. There was no sign of her, until I heard the water in the bathroom turn on. Well, at least she wasn't dead.

I lay down on the couch and stared up at the ceiling for what seemed like a few hours, but I hadn't made a decision about my main question… What am I doing in L.A? I had no good answer. Sure, Emmett was there and our company was based there, but there was no reason I couldn't work from somewhere else in the country, or the world for that matter. I could setup offices anywhere I wanted to, plus the growth potential of the company was unlimited. I didn't have a lot of friends in L.A., which is probably one of the reasons I ended up with Lauren. I went out to meet new people and ended up with a stalker instead.

Part of me was really considering moving back to Seattle. At least in Seattle, Alice was there and my parents weren't that far away in Forks. I could easily set up a new office there for the company, and Emmett can stay in L.A. then again, maybe if I mentioned all this to Emmett he would tell me he wanted to leave too, he didn't have a lot of reasons to want to stay in L.A. either. We could possible just relocate the entire office to Seattle.

I pulled my cell phone from the pocket of my jeans and checked for messages. I had turned it on vibrate a few hours ago, but had continued to ignore it. There were two from the office, one from Emmett and two from Lauren. What the hell? As I went to call Emmett, my phone rang in my hand and it was Lauren again. I didn't answer it, instead opting to block her number from my phone so that I wouldn't even get so much as a text message from her. She was one of the main reasons I wanted to get out of L.A. Her and girls like her. L.A. was swarming with insipid unintelligent girls who wanted to get into your pants because you drove a nice car. Emmett drove a Porsche and he was always coming home with these types of girls, but he liked them. I couldn't handle dating someone who couldn't even hold a conversation about the simplest things. Lauren didn't even know who wrote 'To Kill A Mockingbird', let alone what it was about.

I continued to enjoy the silence when out of the blue soft music began to play over the speakers which ran throughout the house. If someone was listening to music in the living room, then the person in the bathroom had to listen to the same music. Luckily for me, Bella's taste in music wasn't that bad, although I had to admit that her current choice was a little too ironic for me; 'Grey in L.A.' by Loudon Wainwright.

_When it's grey in L.A. it's much better that way  
It reminds you that this town's so cruel  
Yeah it might feel like fun when you're sportin' sunglasses  
But really you're one more fool_

I headed out the door to the balcony and looked down upon Bella who was dancing around the kitchen in a pale blue tank top and yoga pants. She looked actually adorable as she moved around, clearly preparing herself some lunch. How was it I had never met her before? She was Alice's best friend and even though I had heard her name in hundreds of conversations over the years, I had never really paid too much attention. Perhaps if I had cared at all before, the next two weeks wouldn't be as awkward as they are now.

"You can come down to the main floor Edward," she called up to me, clearly having caught me watching her. I slowly descended the stairs with my drink in hand and smiled at her when I walked into the kitchen. "I would really prefer if you didn't peep on me," she said sternly.

"I wasn't peeping Bella. I came out to hear the music a bit better. I actually like that song; in fact, all of the music you have played hasn't sucked as much as I thought it would. I was expecting a bunch of Britney Spears or Madonna. I'm glad to see Alice has tainted you with her style of music." I replied with a hint of anger to my voice. "By the way, for me to peep I believe you actually need to be naked. So in truth I was just watching you."

"Fine then, don't watch me," she said with a nervous sigh that was kind of cute. Why did she have to be adorable yet so void of all personality? I poured myself another drink as Bella looked at me in disappointment. "Isn't it a bit early to be drinking?" she asked as she looked at the clock. I was after one, what the hell was her problem.

"Thanks mom, but I'll be fine," I said sarcastically as I took a big sip of my drink and glared at her. She was frustrated and pissed at me for mocking her, but I didn't care. "It's not like I'm driving anywhere." I headed back up the stairs to the comfort of the couch, feeling this room would be my sanctuary for the next few days. As I walked past my usual bedroom, I headed inside and pulled open a few drawers, looking for my book. I finally found it in my nightstand and grabbed it quickly, trying not to get caught by Bella for snooping in what she considered her room. When I was finally back in the relative calm of my parents room, I threw myself on the couch and I ended up falling asleep only one chapter into my book.

When I woke up and glanced at the clock, it was just after five and my stomach was rumbling, probably because I hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast, since whiskey isn't considered a food group now that I have graduated from college. I went back down to the main floor to throw something together quickly for dinner and noticed that Bella had fallen asleep in the same position as last night on the couch. I grabbed the manuscript she was reading from her arms, put it on the table and tossed the quilt back over top of her. I took a few minutes to light the fire and wandered into the kitchen, opening the fridge and analyzing what I could make. I ended up deciding on hamburgers. They were quick and the barbecue on the back deck was practically calling to me, although I would probably freeze my ass off while cooking them.

It was almost thirty minutes later when I came back into the house with my burgers done and ready to eat. Bella popped her head up from the couch, clearly having just woken up. "Have a nice nap?" I asked politely as she grunted something and walked over to join me in the kitchen. "I have extras if you want?"

"Why are you being nice to me when I've been a bitch to you?" she asked as I pushed a plate with a hamburger and bun over to her.

"Because your Alice's best friend. You must have some redeeming quality for her to have liked you for the past six years. Although you are right, I haven't seen one yet," I answered honestly. She had given me no reason to like her, yet I couldn't help wanting to be nice to her. She sat across from me and crossed her arms in anger.

"Thanks," she said in frustration as she put some condiments on her burger and ate it in silence. The music overhead changed to a new CD, this time it was Fiona Apple, and I laughed so hard I almost spit hamburger out at her.

"I'm guessing you're running away from some guy right?" I asked curiously as she blushed a deep shade of red. It would have been considered cute, on any other girl.

"What the hell makes you think that?" she snapped at me furiously. I laughed at her again, clearly pissing her off further with my questions and subsequent reactions.

"You've got Fiona Apple on your playlist. You clearly have some sort of man issues, and I'm gonna guess it's a man that has done you wrong in some way right?" I asked with a big shit eating grin. From the look on her face, I had apparently hit the nail right on the head. "Did your stunning personality scare him away?" I asked sarcastically.

"Fuck you Edward. What pray tell are you running away from?" This question would have sounded sincere from anyone else, but not this girl. She was practically insinuating that I was hiding from something, which wasn't necessarily true. I was looking for something, the answers to all of my questions. I couldn't help but notice she deflected my question and didn't go into detail, which just made me more curious about her situation.

"My life," I replied remorsefully.

**BPOV**

He made me breakfast, and then dinner and I still couldn't stand him. I dated Jacob for over two years and he never made me either, but for some reason I thought I was in love with him. A few times Jacob made hot dogs, but usually when he cooked something he just burned it and we ended up going out for something to eat instead. It always drove me nuts the way he would waste perfectly good food like he did, but the more I think about it, the more recalled him flirting casually with almost every waitress with a heartbeat, so I was finally able to explain that mystery. With my luck, Jacob could actually cook like Emeril Lagasse, but just didn't want to bother cooking for me. I tried to block Jacob from my thoughts as I talked to Edward about our mutual miseries.

"So your life in L.A. sucks?" I asked curiously as he nodded his head. "Aww… poor baby."

"That's none of your beeswax Ramona, but thanks for the fake sympathy. I see who ever did you wrong clearly ripped out your heart and left a big empty hole." Damn him. He was an asshole, but he was right.

"If you don't like L.A. then how come Alice is always talking about L.A. like it's the shit? She's always telling me how much fun you and Emmett have there." I asked nervously. I didn't want to open up to him about my problems, but I had no problem listening to him if he wanted to share. It was a little one sided, but I didn't care, I think I had deserved the opportunity to be selfish.

"Alice is always talking about L.A. like that because that's how Emmett describes it to her. If she asked me about L.A. she'd probably cry from all the horror stories I'd share with her," he said with a nervous laugh that actually intrigued me.

"So, tell me about the horror stories then," I requested curiously, trying to sound as nice as possible, which was really hard because he annoyed the hell out of me.

"No chance of that happening Bella. I don't particularly think it's fair if I open up to you about my hellish life and you keep quiet about yours, do you?" He had a point, but I still wasn't eager to share my past with him.

"You're right, but since I'm not about to open up to a stranger about my issues, of which I have more than Time Magazine, I say we just leave the topic of our lives alone," I suggested as he nodded his head and he cleared counter from our dinner.

"Would it piss you off if I wanted to watch a movie in the living room tonight?" he asked anxiously. I wanted to say yes, but he had cooked me two meals today while I monopolized the entire main floor.

"No, it's fine."

"You can join if you don't have something better to do," he offered politely as I shoved some plates into the dishwasher.

"No thanks. I'm sure I can think of better things to do than waste two hours of my life on some dumbass action flick," I said as I grabbed a beer from the fridge and headed upstairs, grabbing my manuscript from the coffee table.

I lay on the bed in my room and listened to my iPod while reading the last few chapters of the manuscript I had been given by my boss Angela. It was mediocre at best, and there was no way in hell our company would publish it. I made a few notes on the last page and quickly closed it, marking the cover with an oversized 'X' like always did if it wasn't worthy of our company. When I looked over at the clock it was only ten o'clock and I was nowhere near tired. I stepped out into the hallway, intending to go down to the kitchen to get myself another beer, when I stopped for a moment and listened to the TV below.

Edward wasn't watching some lame action movie like I had assumed. He was watching 'Trainspotting' which was one of my favorite movies and books. I was pissed at myself for assuming something about Edward, only to be wrong yet again. I casually strolled through the living room, trying my best to ignore the TV, but I couldn't do it. I grabbed another beer from the fridge and sat down on the opposite end of the couch from him.

"I thought you didn't want to watch some _dumbass action flick_ with me?" he asked sarcastically.

"Fine then, I'll leave," I said through clenched teeth as I stood up to leave.

"Oh, sit the fuck down Bella. I was kidding. If you want to watch the movie, then watch it. You don't even have to acknowledge that I'm in the room." His voice was dripping with frustration, and I felt bad for acting the way I had. I needed to get my shit straightened out soon; otherwise he would be going home to let his family know I was completely insane.

"I'm sorry I was so rude. Yes, I would like to watch the movie with you," I said remorsefully as I grabbed the quilt from the back of the couch and wrapped it around myself as I pulled my knees up to my chest. Edward looked over at me curiously and shook his head, clearly trying to erase something from his mind. "If you have something to say, feel free."

"I was just thinking about the position of your body," he said casually. "You're clearly uncomfortable, even though you have no reason to be."

"Thanks for your analysis Dr. Phil but I'm not uncomfortable; I just like to sit like this. Now you're going to tell me that I have some repressed childhood issues and I drink too much right?" I replied in frustration.

"No actually. I was going to say you don't drink as much as me. I started at one remember?" he said as he held up his small glass, emptied again of the whiskey he was drinking.

"Why did you start drinking so early?" I inquired as I fidgeted in my seat while keeping my eyes on him. I was drawn to his dark green eyes and his strong jaw line. I was very handsome, but his personality kept me from thinking of him in any fashion other than that of a nuisance.

"Well Betty Ford, I felt like it. I had nowhere to go and nothing better to do, so I had a drink. I don't drink all the time, in fact, I rarely drink back home. I'm on vacation, so why not? You'd probably be drinking if you were in my shoes," he said with a laugh as I held up my beer, clearly showing him that he wasn't the only one imbibing tonight.

"Why are you drinking, Bella?" he asked inquisitively as he reached up and ran his hands through his hair, which made it look even more attractive, damn right sexy even.

"For the same reason, I had nothing better to do, and I wanted to take my mind off of my troubles. Sometimes it works; sometimes it just makes it worse," I replied honestly. "I've been known to get a little out of hand when I drink too much."

"Even more out of hand than you are now? I mean, you're a pretty wild girl. You read a lot and listen to music. You are living on the edge Bella Swan," he told me with a laugh. I didn't find it very funny though.

"Maybe if I wasn't here to fix my shit, you could see that I am actually a fun person. Wouldn't I have to have some sort of entertaining personality to be able to hang out with your sister?" I inquired of him as he left for the kitchen to get himself another drink.

"I suppose so, but Alice also has a thing for strays. Perhaps she just feels bad for you. She always did like to fix things," he called from the kitchen.

"Fuck you Edward. I'm no one's stray. I'm no one's second choice either," I yelled out at him in fury.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? I never said you were anyone's second choice." _Shit_, I had clearly said a little more than I had intended. He looked at me with a raise eye brow.

"Forget I said anything about that. I'm no one's stray. Alice and I get along like peas and carrots or Waldorf and Statler," I stated confidently.

"You are comparing yourself and Alice to the two old guys on the balcony in the Muppets? Oh that's classic," he said with a hearty laugh. "You are definitely different Bella. I'll give you that." I nodded at him in acknowledgement and turned my attention back to the movie. I ended up falling asleep an hour later and was awoken by Edward carrying me up the stairs to my bedroom.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly as he laid me in the bed and pulled the covers over me.

"Don't worry about it Bella. You've had a busy day of nagging me; it's understandable you would be tired," said Edward as he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him, leaving me to sleep in the uneasy silence of the cabin.


	4. Soup and Sandwiches

**A/N: Thanks to everyone for the wonderful reviews. Thanks for the grammar catch xvampiree. I will update that asap. I don't have a BETA and review them myself, so little mistakes pop through every now and again.**

**Enjoy the new chappie.. **

**BPOV**

I woke up the next morning nursing a bit of a headache. I reached my hand up to my head tenderly and tried to think of where I could have gotten a headache from. I only had a few beers last night, and could usually hold my liquor better than this. When it came to beers, I generally needed four or five to even get a buzz. _Oh god, I better not be getting sick_, I thought to myself as I felt my head and sure enough it felt warm. I headed into the master bathroom and found a few bottles of cold medicine and some throat lozenges and brought them back into the bedroom with me. I took a quick swig of the cold medicine and then noticed there was a box of Kleenex on the floor. I shoved it onto the nightstand and curled back into bed, falling back asleep rather quickly.

When I woke up a little while later, I felt even worse. My nose was congested and my throat was extremely sore. Today was definitely going to suck. I popped in a throat lozenge and grabbed the latest manuscript I needed to read. I sat up in bed for a bit and tried to read it, while blowing my nose every ten minutes. I had to crack a small smile when the soothing sounds of Mozart came through the cabin's sound system. At least Edward wasn't sick, that was a good sign. It was just before 5 in the afternoon when I heard a tentative knock on the door and Edward walked in with a concerned look upon his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he sat on the couch on the far side of the room and looked over at me. I saw his eyes focusing on me for a moment, and then he looked down at the mass of tissues on the floor and all the medicine on the night stand. "You're sick?"

"No Edward, I'm a closet addict except I'm addicted to Kleenex and Robitussin," I replied sarcastically as my throat started to burn from the soreness. I immediately regretted the words after they came out, because his expression changed from one of concern to one of hatred and annoyance.

"I was trying to be nice. Fuck, remind me not to try again," he said as he stood up and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him. I stayed buried in my room for the rest of the night. I hadn't eaten all day, but I didn't care. I really didn't want to go downstairs and face Edward after I had been so rude to him, so I let the tiredness wash over me and I fell asleep again.

When I finally woke up I glanced at the clock and saw that I had been asleep for almost twelve hours. I forced myself out of bed and to the bathroom where I glared at myself in the mirror. I looked like the walking dead. I brushed my hair and my teeth and went back into the bedroom where I noticed all the tissues had been cleaned from the floor and there was a hot cup of tea waiting for me. I treated him like shit, but he was still being sweet to me. Edward had to be glutton for punishment, I thought to myself as I crawled back into bed and took a sip of the tea. I had left the bedroom door open and was surprised to see Edward standing there a few minutes later with a tray of food.

"You need to eat," he said as he put the tray in my lap and I practically started to drool over the scrambled eggs, toast and fruit he had prepared. "I used your groceries, so don't get your panties in a twist," he said with a sly smile.

"Thanks. I'm sorry for last night." Edward just nodded his head and sat down on the couch, apparently waiting for more of an apology. "I would blame the medicine, but we both know I've been a raging bitch since I got here, so sorry about that."

"I forgive you. I will even try to be a little less sarcastic and acerbic with you, if you want," he offered sincerely and I gave him a gentle smile.

"Are you feeling any better?" he asked as I started to devour the food he had brought me. Damn, he certainly could cook. His girlfriend was extremely lucky, then again, she's from L.A. she probably doesn't even know how good she's got it.

"A little bit. My throat definitely feels better, although I think the tea you made me is probably helping more than all those throat lozenges I took yesterday. I don't feel as tired, so that must be a good sign," I replied as I took a quick sip of the orange juice on the tray. "Aren't you going to eat something?"

"I already ate."

"Um, okay then. Is there something you want to talk about, because you seem to want to say something," I asked curiously. He had been sitting there silently for a few moments, and hadn't said anything. He was staring at me while I ate and it was a little creepy, if I was being honest.

"Who's Jacob?" he asked nervously as he ran his fingers through his thick bronze hair.

"Why are you asking about Jacob?" I replied in frustration. My first instinct was that he had called Alice to get the scoop on my life and she had told him about Jacob, but that apparently was far from the truth.

"When I popped in here this morning to check on you and pick up half of a tissue factory from the floor, you were very restless. You were rolling around in the blankets yelling something about someone named Jacob. I was just curious."

"Jacob is my ex," I stated matter of factly. "He's the primary reason I'm here actually." Suddenly I felt very exposed, like I had just revealed all of my darkest secrets to him, when I had only spoken eleven words.

"My nightmare is named Lauren. She's one of the reasons I'm here," he said with a sigh. "There, now you don't have to feel bad for telling me about Jacob. We're even."

"Thanks, for everything," I said motioning to the breakfast and the room. "This is your room isn't it?" I watched as Edward nodded slowly and I immediately felt bad for keeping him from it. "You can have it back if you want. I only picked it because it was the most comfortable."

"It's fine Bella, really, but just so you know, I snuck in here two days ago and took my worn out copy of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' from the drawer. I didn't want you to get all upset if you were reading it," he explained calmly, as a big smile formed on my face.

"I love that book. If I had known it was here, I probably would have read it, instead of these boring ass manuscripts," I remarked as I pulled the most recent disaster from beside me on the bed and lifted it up with a laugh. "It's not even worth the paper it's printed on."

"Wow, are you mean with everyone or just me and potential authors?" he asked with a grin. He was being funny and I appreciated it. It was a nice change of pace to laugh instead of think about Jacob. I shook my head of that thought and turned my attention back to Edward.

"I'm not mean with everyone. You just appear to bring out the worst in me," I replied with a slight cough.

"Good to know," laughed Edward as he stood from the couch and claimed the empty tray from my lap. "I'm heading into town in a little bit, so let me know if you need more meds," he offered sweetly as he left the room and headed back to the kitchen. He left a little while later after confirming with me that I didn't need anything else. I tried to catch a bit more sleep while he was gone, but my dreams kept focusing on him, so I slept very restlessly.

In my dreams, Edward and I were on the living room couch watching a movie, just like last night. Except now my head was in his lap and he was lovingly stroking my hair. We were casually talking about the crappier aspects of the movie we were watching including some of the major mistakes in editing. It was nice and casual but it was romantic because there was a fire burning in the fireplace and two empty wine glasses on the coffee table. I woke up startled again and saw that Edward was at the doorway.

"I'm back from the store. I got you some chicken soup. Did you want to try to get out bed to eat it?" he asked with an odd smirk. I just nodded my head and pulled the covers back tensely as I watched him leave and head back down the stairs.

**EPOV**

When I got back from the store, with a fresh batch of Chicken Noodle soup for Bella, I went upstairs to let her know I was home. I also wanted to get her out of the bed she had been lying in for a day and half. That couldn't be good for her. When I finally got to the doorway, she was sleeping restlessly and spoke in her sleep again. But this time instead of saying 'Jacob' she said my name and I was caught off guard, hell I was fucking shocked. I was about to step closer to her to wake her up, when she shot up in bed, practically panting. She sounded out of breath but she slowly calmed down and noticed me in the room with her.

"I'm back from the store. I got you some chicken soup. Did you want to try to get out bed to eat it?" I asked her, as I smiled thinking about the fact that she had said my name in her sleep. I quickly shook my head of the thought. She was probably planning my death like she was her ex Jacob. I tried not to read too much into her words and headed down the stairs to get her soup ready for her while she followed behind a few minutes later.

I made her sit on the couch and get comfortable, she even wrapped the quilt around her shoulders, before I brought her the oversized bowl filled with soup and a small glass of ginger-ale. "Thanks," she said politely as she took a quick spoonful. She was clearly enjoying it because I don't think I had ever seen anyone eat soup so quickly before. "You're spoiling me, and I must admit I do enjoy it."

"So, I guess you're not going to kick me out of here huh?" I asked curiously. Our initial agreement was for a trial run of staying in the house together. I figured all my efforts in the past day must have earned me some sort of reprieve.

"No, you can stay. You're not that bad, I actually kind of wish I had known you before this week though. We might have even been friends," she remarked as she took a sip of her drink. _Friends or lovers_, I thought to myself. I had to admit, in the last few days, I had found myself becoming more and more attracted to Bella, when she wasn't being certifiably insane. I felt obligated to take care of her since she was sick, and she clearly couldn't handle doing it herself. How had she managed alone for the past few years? Oh yeah, she wasn't alone, she had Jacob.

"Thanks. We might have been friends. Who knows right?" I said easily as I stepped out to the kitchen to grab my own lunch, which was a roast beef sandwich.

"Why do you get the meat and I get the soup?" she stammered in frustration, which was kind of cute.

"There is so much wrong with that question Bella, but you're sick so you get the soup. If you want a roast beef sandwich, you should start feeling better so you can make yourself one." I was being mean and sarcastic, but for once she didn't fly off the handle. She finally knew when I was joking.

"But you paid for the meat. I can't have it," she replied remorsefully.

"Okay then, let's ditch rule number two and you can share my food. I didn't really care anyways. You were the anal retentive one." She nodded her head in agreement and smiled back at me. Once again, it was very cute. I don't even think she was trying to flirt with me; I was just misreading the signals. Ah fuck, I didn't care. It's not like I would act on anything, this was Alice's best friend.

"Thanks," she said sweetly as she finished off her bowl and put it on the coffee table.

"So are you feeling up for a movie tonight? I know a couple of lame ass action flicks I can put on," I said with a chuckle. I wasn't even sure why I was asking her to watch one with me. I think I felt bad that she had spent the past two days holed up in my old room. Plus, Bella certainly looked a lot healthier than she had yesterday afternoon, so maybe she really was up to watching a movie.

"Sure, but I get the pick the movie." I agreed to her request knowing full well there wasn't a single movie in the Cullen Family collection that I didn't approve of. She ended up picking out the old version of 'Romeo and Juliet' which clearly belonged to my mother. "I haven't seen this version yet, you don't mind do you?"

"No, it's fine. I haven't seen it either," I lied. It was directed by Franco Zeffirelli and in college my roommate was a film major who was obsessed with his works. I had also seen his versions of 'Hamlet' and 'Jane Eyre' but no one needed to know that. I didn't miss that roommate and was so glad when Emmett and I got our first place together the next year. "How about you go have a bath or something and after dinner we can put it on. It's only two, so you should probably get some more rest," I suggested, trying to sound concerned for her well-being.

"Yeah, I think I will do that," she replied as she pulled the quilt from around her shoulders and headed upstairs. I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up from lunch and preparing dinner. I don't think I had ever spent this much time cooking for anyone. Then again, I hadn't spent this much time in a house with a girl since I lived with my parents and younger sister.

I had just put some chicken in the oven when my cell phone rang, damn it. It was Emmett.

"What's going on?" I asked curiously as I sat on stool at the kitchen island.

"Nothing, it's actually quiet. We ended up getting the Smithson account, no thanks to you," he said rudely.

"Well it clearly didn't matter if I was there or not since you landed the account," I replied tersely. I had been trying for weeks to land the Smithson account, and on Friday when I decided to head up to the cabin, I spent several hours updating Emmett on the status so that he could pitch them today. I was pleased to hear that everything went good, even if I really didn't want the interruption.

"So, I was talking with Alice and you'll never guess what she told me?" he said curiously. I was suddenly nervous because my first instinct about what Alice had told him involved the luscious brunette soaking in the bathtub upstairs. "She told me that Bella Swan was borrowing the cabin for two weeks, with permission from Mom and Dad." _Shit. _So much for rule number six where no one could know about this.

"So?" I replied in frustration. Emmett was way too persistent to just give up when he already knew what was going on. When we were younger and he knew I had slept with Kirsten Thomas, he kept prying me for details as I tried to deny it. He eventually got it out of me, but it involved threats of physical violence. Unfortunately, I couldn't really get out of this one easily.

"So? All you can say is so? Is Bella there?"

"Yes, she's here. She's actually sick and taking a bath right now. We have agreed to try and stay away from each other while we worked out our individual issues, only talking when absolutely necessary. Other than the fact that I am sleeping in your nasty room, everything has been fine. She's actually pretty nice; Alice did good in the best friend department." Emmett was suddenly very silent, which wasn't like him. I was immediately worried about what he was thinking about.

"You like her," he said confidently as I immediately tried to deny everything he was saying to me.

"Actually dude, she's been a raving bitch to me for the past few days. She got sick today and suddenly turned sweet. I don't like her, not like you think I like her," I stammered nervously as I heard a loud noise behind me. _Aw fuck_. "Emmett, I'll call you back later." I said quickly as I hung up and turned around to see Bella behind me, wrapped in a bathrobe looking absolutely furious.

"So I'm a raving bitch huh?" she asked angrily as she stood still in front of me. "Well, I can clearly see I was wrong about you yet again. Pack your shit up tomorrow and get the fuck out. If you don't, I'll call Esme and we'll see who gets to stay after all."


	5. Depeche Mode

**A/N: Ok, so I'm not entirely thrilled with this chapter, but it effectively moves things along, so I shouldn't complain right? Thanks to everyone for the awesome reviews. Everyone has been more than supportive of all my stories and I appreciate it more than I can probably express. I'm trying to ease them into liking one another and I really hope it's working. I'm sure you will all let me know if there is trouble.**

***I don't own twilight, but I do own a lot of Depeche Mode CD's***

**EPOV**

_You have got to be kidding me_, I thought to myself as I started heading up the stairs against my better judgment. I didn't even bother to knock on the door, I just barged in and found Bella sitting on the couch with her face buried in her hands. At least she wasn't crying.

"What the hell Bella, eavesdrop much?" I asked angrily as I stood before her awaiting her response. She was silent for a moment, before she raised her head and looked at me with an expression of complete fury.

"Excuse me, but you're the one telling people I'm a raving bitch and that you don't like me," she said in frustration. As I looked down at her, I felt both exasperation and guilt, even though I had done nothing wrong.

"That's not what I said," I replied, trying to clean up this mess anyway I could because there was no way I was going home now. Not to L.A. and definitely not to Forks.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter."

"First of all, it was Emmett on the phone and Alice told him you were here, so now he knows we're both here together, so rule number six is fucked because he knows." Bella sighed and leaned her against the back of the couch. She seemed as upset about this revelation as I had been. "He promised not to say anything, but he assumed I was staying because of you and that I liked you in a romantic sense. I was simply explaining to my idiot brother that I didn't like you _that _way."

"But I'm still a raving bitch right? Wasn't that the term you used?" Damn she was maddening. I let out a big sigh and tried to pull my foot out of my mouth.

"I said that you had been acting like a bitch for the past few days, which we both knew was true. You aren't acting like one now though. You were actually somewhat pleasant earlier today and stupid me, I actually asked you to spend time with me. If you're not interested in dinner or the movie, don't worry about." I said as I walked from the room and back downstairs to the kitchen. I quickly pulled out my bottle of Jamesons and took a shot greedily. I continued working on dinner, but my heart wasn't in it anymore. I tossed the chicken into the oven and pulled out my iPod which I connected to the sound system and searched through my playlist, looking for something appropriate for my mood while I sipped my glass of whiskey. I settled on some Bon Iver and sat back in the leather club chair, to enjoy the music.

I heard footsteps down the stairs, but then there was silence. Part of me was hoping Bella had packed her bags and was about to head back to Seattle.

"I love this CD," she said casually as she sat on the couch and looked over at me. I opened one eye and then closed it again, trying to focus on the music.

"It's not a CD, it's my playlist and it has almost all of their songs on it. Well all the ones I own anyways, I'm sure there is some rare tracks out there somewhere I haven't managed to track down yet, but I will," I said confidently as I kept my head against the back of the chair and my eyes closed.

"Can we please go back to our truce?" she asked anxiously as I opened my eyes again and found her pulling on her fingers, like she was trying to crack her knuckles or something.

"Only if you promise to be more reasonable in the future," I said with a grin as she nodded her head silently. "Dinner's in the oven and should only be about twenty more minutes."

"Thanks," replied Bella as she stood from the sofa and headed into the kitchen to make herself a tea. "I really am sorry about the confusion. I'm not usually like this, honestly. I think once I get things figured out I'll be back to normal."

"Listen, I've already forgot it happened, so don't worry about it. You should be focusing on getting better anyways." I finished my drink and Bella came over with the bottle, offering up a refill which I gladly took. She sat down on the couch and looked over at me expectantly. "What?"

"I have a proposition for you?" she said quietly and my interest was immediately piqued. "I think we should just admit to each other all the fucked up things in our lives and then we can give each other constructive criticism or positive suggestions, whatever the hell we want." I nodded my head and continued to listen to her intently. "We are obviously VERY honest with one another, so I think it would be good to have a different perspective on our respective lives."

"Are you sure you're ready to open your closet and let all the skeletons fall out? I mean, if we do this, I will ask you every single question about your problems that you probably don't want asked. will look like H.R. Pufnstuf compared to me," I said with a laugh because Emmett and I always joked that Dr. Phil looked just like H.R.

"Fine, but it works both ways."

"Fine, when do we start?" I asked impatiently. I think I was just as eager as Bella was to get over our own issues. It's not like I was going to get the privacy I initially came here for anyways, so I might as well tell her everything. Plus, I could get a little insight into the brain of my sister's best friend.

"How about we wait until tomorrow? I should be feeling a lot better by then and more willing to talk about everything." I stood from the chair and headed to the kitchen to check on dinner.

"That's fine with me. You better get a good night's sleep then Bella; I am a very curious person." I laughed as I pulled some carrots from the fridge and began to grate them for the salad I was making to go with our lemon chicken. Thankfully the rest of the night went by without incident. Bella wasn't particularly talkative during dinner or the movie, but I didn't complain. I hated it when people talked during movies, even if I had seen them before. Emmett and I hadn't seen a movie together in almost two years because he babbled on like a 15 year old girl on acid. It was absolutely the most annoying thing in the world.

I let Bella lay down on the couch to watch the movie and I got comfortable in my father's big recliner. I stopped drinking after dinner and did my best to relax and enjoy the movie. It was almost done when I heard Bella snoring lightly on the couch, completely asleep. I finished watching the movie in peace and then picked Bella up in my arms again, carrying her up to my old room to put her to sleep. I ignored the random words she spoke in her sleep and pulled the blanket tightly under her chin before I turned off the light and walked out of the room.

I turned everything off on the main floor and headed to bed, but my sleep was very restless. I found myself staring at my alarm clock at 3:12 in the morning. I sat up in bed and tossed my earbuds in, turning my iPod back to Bon Iver as I reached over for my book and flipped on my light. Perhaps reading a chapter or two would help me fall back asleep.

I wasn't focusing on my reading though. I was thinking about a girl sleeping fifty feet away in my comfortable bed. I thought back to earlier in the day when I confronted her about what she had heard on my call with Emmett and couldn't understand why I would feel guilty about what was said. I had even felt sad when I found her on my couch with her head buried in her hands. My first instinct had been to comfort her, not to yell at her like I had done. Why the hell was Bella affecting me the way she was? I wonder if I can ask her about that tomorrow during our conversations about our shitty lives. _So Bella, lately I've found you very attractive and I couldn't sleep last night because I was thinking about you. What do you think about that?_ I doubt her reaction would be one of elation; it would most likely be one of utter confusion, which is how I feel about it all. Completely confused.

I ended up sleeping for about two hours and when I finally stumbled downstairs to the kitchen at six in the morning, I made myself an extra strong pot of coffee and sat down in the living room to relax. I was about to take my first sip of coffee when Bella strolled down the stairs looking a lot healthier and rested than yesterday.

"You're up early," I said casually as I let the hot coffee burn down my throat, waking me up slightly.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep. I ended up taking a bath an hour ago and getting dressed. When I smelt the coffee, I figured the coast was clear to head downstairs." I gave her a simple nod and she helped herself to a cup of coffee and settled back in her usual spot on the couch.

"You look a lot better, how do you feel?"

"Other than tired, I feel fine. The cold or whatever the hell it was is gone, thank god," said Bella with a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry I fell asleep again, it's very uncharacteristic of me. I love movies, so I was disappointed in myself when I realized I hadn't seen it all. You probably won't offer to watch another movie with me huh?"

"It's fine Bella. I don't mind that you fall asleep, although I don't think my back can handle carrying you upstairs to bed again," I said with a laugh as I grabbed my back in mock pain.

"Whatever, I weigh like one twenty soaking wet. I'm sure you can easily handle me," she said with a grin. I of course started to immediately think of other ways I wanted to handle her, but I shook my head to empty the indecent thoughts I was having about her. "Everything good?"

"Yeah, just a little tired too," I said with a chuckle as I took a sip of my drink. "Ready to rid ourselves of some personal demons?"

"How about we get some breakfast in our bodies and we have a shower and we can then start deconstructing each other?" she asked with a curious expression.

"Well Bella, I generally prefer to shower alone, but if this is part of our therapy, I'm all for it," I said with a laugh as she looked at me in shock. "I was kidding."

"I knew that Edward. I guess I need to be more selective in what I say around you. So let's try this: How about you make me breakfast and then we can each have our own shower and then we can discuss why you can be a sweet guy one second and a complete moron the next?" I laughed at her acerbic wit and stood from my chair.

"Touché Bella. How are pancakes for breakfast?"

**BPOV**

Breakfast was a boring affair. I cut up some melon while Edward made pancakes, from scratch I might add. He didn't even need a recipe, he just threw some stuff into a bowl and next thing I knew, I was eating some of the most delicious pancakes I had ever had. While I cleaned up after breakfast, I made Edward go and take his shower. I didn't really need once since I had a bath at five in the morning when I couldn't sleep. Edward was sneaking into my dreams at night and it was thoroughly confused about it. Yes, I definitely thought he was attractive, but there was no way I could even consider getting involved with my best friends older brother, who just happens to live in L.A. N_ot gonna happen_, I reminded myself as I put the dishes into the dishwasher and went to relax on the couch.

Edward's iPod was sitting beside the stereo so I plugged it in and slowly searched through his music. It wasn't half bad. I actually owned quite a bit of the bands and singers he had, but I was even more pleased when I stumbled across one of my personal favorites, Depeche Mode. I turned on their playlist and let the music fill the house while I walked around and started to tidy things up. Edward came down about half an hour later, singing along to 'Policy of Truth' and smiling like he had just won the lottery.

"Good choice, I was actually feeling like some Depeche Mode this morning myself." I simply nodded my head and finished wiping down the counter in the kitchen, while he fetched a big glass of orange juice from the fridge. "You should drink some juice; it will probably make you feel better."

"I'm feeling fine , so stop worrying about me," I said sarcastically as he looked over at me with a raised eyebrow.

"You have way too many Oprah references. I'm guessing that's part of Alice's influence huh?"

"Yeah, something like that. When she lived with me for a few months we used to watch it every night on the TIVO. I did learn some things though like what jeans make my ass look good and how to make a decent bouillabaisse, so I shouldn't complain." I swore I heard him mutter something about my ass looking fine, but I shook my head, determining that was something that Edward wouldn't say to me.

"I'm glad to see Oprah hasn't corrupted you," he said with a grin as he took a sip from his juice and headed into the living room. "So, are we going to talk or what?"

"Eager to get this over with Cullen?" I remarked curiously as 'Walking in my Shoes' came on the stereo and I sat down on the couch, looking at him with interest. "Who goes first?"

"How about we play 'rock, paper, scissors' for it? The loser goes first," he suggested as I let out a small laugh.

"That's very grade seven of you Edward, but okay." I held out my hand as he moved closer with his hand outstretched in front of him. We shook our hands three times and both ended up with paper. We chuckled genuinely and repeated the motion. We both had rock. I looked up at him and we tried again. I ended up with scissors and he ended up with rock, so I got to go first. _Lucky Me. _I went and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before returning to the couch to make myself comfortable. "Should I start with my work life or personal life?"

"How about you start with whatever topic you are more comfortable with?" I thought for a moment and then decided, work life it is.

"I hate my job," I said succinctly as Edward looked at me with wide eyes. "I hate reading other people's books and stories. It's honestly one of the most mundane things I have ever done. I preferred my job at Starbucks when I was in college compared to my job at the publishing house. Sure, I get paid good money, but I hate it, so what's the point, right?"

"So, why do you do it?" he asked curiously as he stared at me. I felt like I was sitting in a psychiatrists office and I should lie on the couch and pour my heart out to him.

"I thought it was what I wanted to do with my life. I got great grades and graduated at the top of my class at UW and then I got the job offer right out of school. I sounded so perfect at the time. Now I think I just like the comfort it affords me and I can't be bothered to do anything about it."

"Do you want to be 65 years old and having suffered through a crappy job for 40 years? Do you think you will regret it if you don't change?" Edward had claimed he would get personal with his questioning, but he hadn't. If anything, he had asked all the right questions.

"No, of course not. I don't want to regret any of the decisions I've made in my life."

"So quit your job. Do you have money saved up?" I shook my head in disagreement. "Okay then, stay at your job until you can find something you like better or until you have some savings to carry you over for a little while. Ooh, here's a better question… what do you really want to do?"

"I think I want to write," I said confidently as I looked over at Edward who looked surprised. When I originally went to school, that was my passion, writing. The more I got into my classes though the more I found editing was an interesting path, and I followed it, much to my dismay now. "I'm an English major and I took a ton of creative writing courses. I want to write stories, not review them." I released a big sigh of relief as the words came from my mouth. I hadn't spoken them to anyone before except my high school guidance counselor.

"Okay, so write something. Start the great American novel or the next Harlequin romance, whatever you want to do, you can do it Bella." Everything sounded so easy when Edward said it. "Do you have your computer here?"

"Yeah, I do." I said with surprise when I realized what he was suggesting. I looked over at him and he looked pretty smug with himself for his proposal.

"You have 10 more days here; maybe you will be inspired to write something and then maybe your publishing company will want to print it. After all, you do know what makes a good story, right?" Edward was just as good at dispensing advice as Alice was. It was nice that Edward was detached from the situation so that he could be impartial. Alice would have told me to follow my heart, but I probably wouldn't have listened to her. I simply nodded my head in agreement with Edward and smiled. "You can always continue to work until you've finished your book. Then, try to get it published. Once that's done and you've signed a contract, you can quit your job. Makes perfect sense to me. You get the comfort of having the job, yet the satisfaction of going after your dreams."

"I'm sorry I treated you like shit, you really do have valid opinions," I said sweetly as he took another sip of his juice as the opening of 'I Feel You' filled the room. I let out a low chuckle at the song choice as Edward cocked his eyebrow at me in curiosity. I always thought it was a great sex song, and here I was discussing my screwed up life with a very attractive man and all I could think of for a moment was the song.

"Don't worry about it Bella. You shouldn't give up your dreams because you value the comfort and security."

"What is your dream?" I asked curiously as I watched him run his fingers through his hair, making it just as messy as before. He let out a big sigh before he took a big gulp of his juice, which was now almost empty. I glanced over at the clock on the mantel and realized we had been talking for over an hour.

"My dream was to open my own advertising agency, and I did that two years ago." He didn't seem too convincing to me. He looked a little forlorn as he spoke. If this was his dream, he should be happy about it, shouldn't he?

"Nice try. That may have been your dream two years ago, but what is your dream now?" He looked up at me with a nervous smile.

"I just want to get out of L.A." He actually seemed upset when he said these words, like it was breaking his heart to consider a move from California.

"What's keeping you there?" I questioned. He had finished his juice and put the drink on the coffee table and leaned back against the chair, his eyes staring at the ceiling.

"My work is part of the reason I haven't left. I like what I do and I love running my own company, but I don't see a move in my future." That was such a copout answer, I thought to myself. If he owns the company he should be able to move it anywhere he wants.

"Are you just staying because you don't want to disappoint Emmett? He is your business partner right?" Edward nodded his head slowly and all the pieces began to fit. He didn't want to upset his older brother by moving. Emmett had a nice life in California and Edward didn't. "You need to talk to Emmett and let him know what is going on. I would guess that since he's a Cullen, he's probably pretty reasonable, like the rest of your family. If he knew you weren't happy in L.A., he probably wouldn't force you to stay."

"Emmett doesn't want to leave L.A."

"So, who gives a fuck what Emmett wants? You can do your job from somewhere else right? If I was a writer I could live anywhere in the world. Why can't you do it if you are the boss of the company?" Edward released his grip on the arms of the chair he was sitting in and sat upright, practically staring at me, but he was smiling.

"I'm gonna call Emmett," he said as he stood from the chair and got his cell phone from the kitchen.

"So, where are you going to move to?" I asked with a grin as he dialed the phone and waited impatiently for his brother to answer.

"I'm going back to Seattle."


	6. Would You Rather?

**A/N: Sorry it took so long for an update. I was trying to work on "American Girl" so I could get to the 'reveal' in that story, but I'm still a few chapters away.**

**Thanks to all my lovely readers for their awesome reviews. Things are going to start getting more personal and more angsty in the near future. This chapter is basically all flirting, so I doubt any of you will complain. **

**Lovebuggkiss – I laughed pretty hard when you wrote 'edward needs to see bella's not a complete bi-polar harpy, and it's just because of her jackass ex that she's being such a shrew' I think that's a pretty good analysis of how I saw Bella at the beginning of this story**

**EPOV**

"I'm going back to Seattle," I told Bella with a small smile as she glared at me for a moment. I was about to say something further, but Emmett answered the phone before I got a chance.

"How's it going Eddie?" asked Emmett casually. I was already frustrated about our situation and his annoying nickname for me didn't help.

"If I have to ask you not to call me that one more time, I will seriously injure you," I said in anger. "I actually called to talk to you about something serious."

"Are you sleeping with Bella already? You old dog you," laughed Emmett. I could picture him on the other end of the phone, sitting in his office with his feet up on his desk, grinning from ear to ear. This was how he got comfortable when he talked with Alice, so I was certain he was doing the same with me.

"No, I already told you it's not like that. Are you sitting down?" I asked, trying to stress him out more than was probably necessary. He didn't say anything, so I continued talking with Bella watching me supportively from the couch. "I don't want to live in L.A. anymore Emmett." There was silence again. I could hear him breathing on the other end of the phone though, so I took it as a good sign.

"Where do you want to live Edward," he asked tersely.

"I think I want to move back to Seattle. I mean, I know I want to move back to Seattle. I hate L.A. man, and I know you're probably pissed because of the company and everything, but I don't need to be there to run it," I said quickly. I was trying to break the news like someone who was taking off a bandage, as quickly as possible.

"How long have you been thinking about this?"

"For a while actually. I just don't like the city anymore; it holds no appeal to me. I was thinking we should just open a new office in Seattle, and I can work from there," I suggested, hoping that my plans would lessen the blow a bit. I looked over at Bella and she was smiling at me, apparently very pleased at my confession to my brother. "Are you still there?" I asked a few minutes later, when Emmett still hadn't said anything in response to me.

"Yeah, I'm here. A Seattle office would be a good idea, but I was actually going to suggest it to you when we got together at Christmas. I am kind of getting burnt out on L.A. too and was thinking of moving home myself. I miss Mom and Dad, and Alice especially." I threw my head back on the chair in frustration. Why did Emmett want to move, he loved L.A. and this was driving me crazy. He was always saying how great the city was and how perfect we fit into the lifestyle; apparently he was full of shit.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," I yelled out in frustration as I stood from the chair and started to pace around the cabin. Bella was looking concerned, but I held a hand up to her, advising her to give me a moment.

"No dude, I miss home too. I have an idea, why don't we get Robbie to run this office and we move the headquarters to Seattle. He's basically been our number three for the past two years and I doubt he would have a problem with it," suggested Emmett as a smile grew across my face. His idea was brilliant.

"Okay, it's a deal. We don't have to live together in Seattle though do we? I have a feeling I'm gonna like Seattle girls a lot better than the vapid brainless women in L.A., so I want my own place," I said with a smile as Bella headed into the kitchen to get herself a drink of water. Emmett and I agreed to separate apartments and we decided to try to find office space when he was in Seattle for Christmas. When I got off the phone with him, Bella looked at me expectantly.

"So, what's the verdict?"

"It looks like me, Emmett and Cullen Advertising are all moving to Seattle in the near future," I said with a wide grin. "Thanks for the support by the way. All it took was a little push from you and things are finally looking up. I also don't have to buy my parents a Christmas gift since me moving home will probably be enough for them." I laughed easily and fell back into the chair I spent most of the morning sitting in. I glanced at the clock and it was 11:15. "Did you want to tackle some other demons today?"

"Nah, I think we've done good for today. I'm going to start writing and you're moving to Seattle. Alice will be ecstatic," said Bella as she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She looked adorable and part of me thought about moving to the couch and offering her a small kiss to thank her for pushing me to do what I needed to do, but I didn't move.

"I need to head into town to pick up a few things, do you need anything?" I asked anxiously. Bella stayed seated and I started to walk upstairs to get changed out of my comfy clothes and into something a little more presentable.

"Would you be adverse to me decorating a bit? It certainly doesn't feel like Christmas around here, even with the snow on the ground." I looked down at Bella from the middle of the open stairwell and she was looking up at me sweetly. She clearly wanted to do something more festive in the house, and I wasn't completely against it so I nodded my head in agreement.

"No tree though, I don't want to have to take it down in a few days because we have to leave. It will be way too much work. So are you coming with me?" Bella hopped from the couch and bounded up the stairs, passing me in the middle and headed into my old room. "I'll take that as a yes."

There weren't a lot of stores in Jackson Hole, but we luckily found a Target and headed in, where Bella was practically enthused with all the Christmas paraphernalia. "You don't have to stay with me while I shop," she said sweetly as she grabbed a shopping cart and headed towards their holiday decorations.

"I would actually like to join you Bella. I have a slight fear that you might decorate the cabin to look like the North Pole threw up, and I want to avoid that," I said with a laugh as Bella grinned at me and lead the way down the main aisle. We searched through some of their decorations and settled on fake swag of pine that she wanted to put on the mantle. She picked out a few small decorations, including some scented candles. Everything she got was simple and perfect for a cabin the woods. I nodded in agreement with almost everything she showed me, and found myself liking her even more as she expressed interest in certain things like she was a kid again. It was very endearing, although Bella probably didn't even realize she was doing it.

"So, have you finished your Christmas shopping for your family?" I asked as we walked up towards the cashier with our cart full of goodies.

"Yeah, I picked up a few things back in Seattle. We don't go all out with gift giving in my family though. We generally get each other a few small things and that's it. Pretty depressing huh?" she asked as I nodded my head. I was going to get her a Christmas gift, I told myself as grin crossed my face. I didn't know what, but Bella would have one from me. As a thank you for all the advice she had given me regarding my work life. Sure, that was why I wanted to give her a gift.

"It's a little sad. I think my parents only do it because Alice gets so excited about everything. You know how she reacts when she gets a gift; she gets almost as excited when she gets mail." We both laughed happily as I helped Bella put her purchases on the conveyor belt. Before she had a chance to move, I pulled out my credit card and swiped it through the machine. She looked over at me in frustration but I just shrugged my shoulders. "Consider it my gift to you for all your help recently."

"Whatever Edward. I'll pay you back somehow," she said with a frown as she grabbed all of the bags and we headed out of the store, towards my car. I reached over and tried to take two of the bags from Bella, but she pulled her hand away from mine. Apparently she was a little independent firecracker, I thought to myself again. As we drove back to the cabin, I stopped at the bank quickly to pay two bills I realized I had forgotten to pay in my haste to get the hell out of L.A. and then we headed home. I kept glancing at the stores that lined the main street and wondered where I could find something appropriate to buy Bella. It wasn't looking too promising.

**BPOV**

When we finally got back to the cabin, I immediately started to take the price tags off of everything I bought and tried to decorate the living room to something a little more festive. I lit the candles, which were supposed to smell like pine and placed them around the room far enough apart that they would hopefully make the entire living room smell like a Christmas tree. Edward hung the oversized swag of fake pine from the fireplace almost perfectly and then lit a fire, since it was a wee bit too cold in the room. We hung some small decorations from the fake pine and then put a few more glass balls in a bowl on the coffee table. It wasn't fabulous, but it was certainly a vast improvement.

"Well, it certainly smells better in here," laughed Edward as he walked towards the kitchen and grabbed himself a beer. "Want one?' I nodded easily and we sat down on the living room couch beside each other and took a quick sip of our drinks as we stared at the fireplace. "I think we should do something fun tonight after we finish dinner? You know, to relive the stress from earlier today."

"Well, what do you have in mind Mr. Cullen?" I asked with a laugh.

"I don't know. I don't think we have many board games here, so that's out. We have a deck of cards somewhere, but I have a feeling you cheat at solitaire, so that's out too." Edward took another gulp of his drink and laughed again at his comments.

"Hey, I resemble that remark," I said with a chuckle as he looked at me and smiled a bit differently. It was a smile that I had seen previously. It was almost a flirting smile, but I knew he wouldn't be flirting with me. Would he? "We're not in a hurry. We can think of something and then decide after dinner."

I finished my beer and then excused myself to head up to my room where I quickly opened up my laptop. As Microsoft Word slowly started, I stared at the screen with a blank expression on my face. I wanted to be a writer, but I had nothing to write about. Back in writing classes, they always told us to write from the heart or write what we know, but all I knew these days was heartache, and that wasn't the topic I wanted to tackle, so I turned off Word and logged onto the net using my wireless card I had gotten from work. Before I realized it, I had Googled Edward Cullen and was reading various articles about him in newspapers from L.A. and a few advertising magazines. It was actually very fascinating since I hadn't realized that the guy in the kitchen currently making us fajitas for dinner was so accomplished. He had won several awards and was one of L.A.'s young entrepreneurs of the year in 2008.

I shut off the computer and laid down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Everything today had felt so casual and easy with Edward and I couldn't explain why. We got along so well, it was a surprise to me that we hadn't gotten along since the beginning. I finally gave up trying to decipher my relationship with Edward and headed downstairs, where I found him finishing up dinner. He instructed me to sit at the dining room table and he served me, like a proper gentleman. I laughed at the formality of fajitas, but he just smiled his adorable sexy smile that he had shown me on the couch. That was definitely flirting.

"I have an idea about what we can do tonight, although it is rather junior high," I said with a laugh as I took a bite of dinner and moaned appreciatively.

"What's that?" he inquired curiously as he took a sip of his beer.

"I think we should play 'Would you rather?'" Edward looked at me in confusion, clearly having never played the game, so I put my fork down and began to explain it to him. "It's easy. We ask stupid questions like 'Would you rather eat a snail or a cockroach?' and the other person has to answer. We can even turn it into a drinking game if you are interested. If you refuse to answer, you have to take a drink."

"Sounds simple enough. Should we start now or after dinner?" he asked curiously.

"How about after I do to the dishes? We can get comfortable in the living room and ask each other the stupidest questions possible. So you have about twenty minutes to think about them," I said as I took a big bite of my fajita and smiled at myself for having such a good idea.

"Is there some topics that are taboo?" asked Edward with a raised eye brow.

"Define taboo?" I asked nervously as I practically bored a hole in his head with my stares.

"Can we ask anything sexual?"

"Sure, why not. It'll certainly make the game more interesting, don't you think?" I said as I started to melt again from the smile he was giving me. This was going to be a long tortuous night if he kept smiling at me like he wanted to peel my clothes off. As soon as dinner was done, I sauntered into the kitchen and did all the dishes from dinner and earlier today. I started the dishwasher as Edward began looking through the cabinets for something. "What are you searching for?"

"I'm looking for shot glasses. If we're gonna turn this into a drinking game, I'd rather we drank my bottle of Jameson's instead of beer. I know my parents had a few… oh here they are," he called out happily after he pulled two little glasses from the cupboard. I picked them up and began to laugh heartily because one said 'I'm also available in sober' and the other said 'I'm so happy I could shit rainbows'. I called dibs on the rainbow one and quickly went upstairs to get changed into something more comfortable, in case the night lasted too long and I got way too drunk. I came back downstairs in a pair of tight yoga pants and a tank top. Edward was adding another log to the fire and then he headed upstairs to get changed himself.

While he was gone, I tried to think of interesting questions to ask him. I walked over to the stereo and plugged in Edward's iPod. I searched through his playlists until I found something that was somewhat interesting and turned it on. 'Closer' from the Kings of Leon started immediately and I smiled to myself.

"Good Choice, yet again," he called down from the top of the stairs as he wandered down looking like a god. He had on a pair of shorts and a tight black t-shirt. For some reason I just wanted to wrap my body around his and never let go.

"Thanks. It's easy to make good selections when it's your music," I said with a grin as I sat on the floor, waiting for him to join me. I had set everything up so that the liquor was on the coffee table, but Edward and I were sitting on the floor in front of the fire. I needed to stay as warm as I could to justify the tank top. I was subconsciously trying to show off my assets, but I didn't need to catch another cold in an effort to draw Edward's eyes to my breasts. Edward grabbed two beers from the fridge and sat down on the floor across from me and poured two shots on the table. "What's with the beer?"

"You never know Bella; we might get thirsty while waiting for the other person to answer the questions. Do you want to go first?" I nodded my head and tried to think of one of the questions I had formulated in my mind earlier.

"Would you rather sleep on a bed of nails every night for a year or be forced to have 'Barbie Girl' playing in your head for the rest of your life?" I stared at Edward as he opened his mouth and immediately responded.

"Definitely the bed of nails. I hate that Aqua song. Alice used to play it constantly when we were growing up." A smile grew across Edward's face and he laughed from his memory of Alice.

"She still plays it," I replied ruefully. "And it still sucks." We laughed easily together before Edward took a moment to ask me a question.

"Would you rather have a severe case of tourettes or uncontrollable orgasms?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

"Uncontrollable orgasms. My ex could barely give me one, so I'll take them all the time to make up for his lack of abilities," I said with a laugh as I shuddered when I thought about sex with Jacob.

"I'm sorry," he said with a look of sadness on his face.

"Oh calm down, it's just an orgasm. I'm sure I will one day find the guy that knows what the hell he's doing," I replied happily as I thought of my next question. "Would you prefer to have sex with someone but not be able to kiss them or to kiss someone but not be able to have sex with them?"

"Hmmm… that's a tough one. I'm going to pick the kissing one because kissing can be a lot more sensual than sex, if done properly. Plus, I could always take matters into my own hands for release if need be." I laughed at his comment, but then my mind wandered to a vision of him stroking his cock and I suddenly felt it get very warm in the room.

"Would you rather have a one night stand with someone you considered your soul mate or do anything for fear of ruining the relationship?"

"One night stand. If he's truly my soul mate, it would definitely turn into more." Edward agreed with my response and then I had to ask a question.

"Would you rather be blindfolded and lose all vision or be the one doing the blindfolding?"

"Are we speaking sexually Bella?" he asked confidently as I blushed and simply nodded my head. "I'd rather do the blindfolding. I find it much more of a turn on to give rather than receive." Damn it, he was getting me excited. How dare he, then again, he had no idea I had sexual thoughts about him, so I tried to ignore the all too familiar feeling stirring within me and grabbed a shot, taking it all in one gulp.

The game continued on slowly for the next few hours and as the questions tended to get more sexual in nature, I was taking the shots quicker. Edward didn't seem to mind and at one point started to drink along with me when I asked if he would rather be in a threesome with two girls or one of each. He said two girls and quickly took a drink, with no explanation. When he asked me the exact same question, I took two shots before deciding to answer.

"I would say neither, since I am a serious relationship kind of girl usually, but with the right partners, I would definitely do it either way." Edward dropped his jaw open in surprise and grabbed the shot I was about to take from my hand and took it down smoothly. "Edward, would you rather have sex in public where no one could see or have sex in public with the high chance of getting caught?"

"Definitely with the chance of getting caught. It's more exhilarating that way," he said confidently as he took a small sip from his beer. He was silent for a moment before he poured himself another shot of Jameson's', effectively draining the bottle. He took it greedily and then practically stared me down. "Bella, would you rather have sex with your ex Jacob or me?"


	7. Grilled Cheese and Kisses

**A/N: So no one can claim I don't love my readers. A mere four hours after my last update, here is another one. I felt bad leaving you all with the cliffhanger I did, especially since I got thirty reviews begging for the answer. LOL**

**Grtchn – between you, mmwalker and melferd, I'm surprised I get any writing done. I take great pride in being a CANKEROUS WHORE! I wonder if I can change my username to that instead of coldplaywhore.**

**Lovebuggkiss asked me to remind everyone to head on over to MTV and vote for the movie awards where twilight is nominated for several, including Rob Pattinson for Breakthrough Male Performance. Check out her review for Chapter 6 for more info!**

**Enjoy the chapter… I left it with a tiny cliffie, nothing you guys can't wait another day for a resolution to I hope! I'm off to plan some playlists for 'American Girl'**

**EPOV**

What the fuck did I just say? Did I honestly just ask her if she would rather have sex with her ex boyfriend or me? How much did I have to drink tonight? Oh look, there's my beer. I'm going to finish that bastard off and pray to god that wasn't what I really said. I looked over at Bella and she looked confused. There was no more booze to drink, so she could avoid the question by just running away, but luckily for me, she looked just drunk enough to answer it, and I _really _wanted to know the answer.

"You," she slurred slightly and I smiled from ear to ear. "I already told you Jacob didn't know what the fuck he was doing and I doubt you could possibly be worse." Okay, so she said me, but she didn't exactly complement my skills in the bedroom. It didn't matter, she still said me.

"Would you rather have sex with me or your stalker Lauren?" Bella asked with a drunken laugh. This might have been my easiest question of the night.

"Well you for sure, unless you have stalker tendencies? You don't do you? I won't find you in my apartment trying to boil my bunny will I?" I asked with a serious laugh

"You have a bunny?" she asked incredulously as her voice broke into the sweetest laugh I had ever heard in my life.

"No Bella, I don't have a bunny. I was referencing Fatal Attraction. I'm just hoping when I sleep with you that you don't turn into Glenn Close is all," I said casually.

"WHEN YOU SLEEP WITH ME?" She yelled out in surprise, although she didn't actually look too mad. I hadn't meant to say that, even though the more I got to know her, the more I envisioned her naked in my bed, while I fucked her like crazy, hearing her moan my name over and over again as she climaxed.

"That's not what I meant," I stammered in frustration as I tried unsuccessfully to pull my foot out of my mouth. "I mean that speaking within the confines of the game; I would hope you weren't a stalker."

"You don't want to sleep with me in real life?" she asked as she took a drink of my beer and handed it back to me.

"Yes, of course, I do," I yelled out before I even had a chance to realize it. "No wait, go back a second. Bella, I find you extremely attractive, but since you are Alice's best friend and my confidante here in the cabin, I don't think we should." There, that was a polite way of rejecting someone right? I couldn't even consider fucking her. It just wouldn't be right even though I really wanted to.

"I was kidding Edward, calm down," said Bella with a loud laugh. I looked and her and blushed, feeling incredibly stupid. "We will not be having sex, although I still think you'd be a lot better than Jacob." I smiled from her compliment and then glanced up at the clock. It was just after midnight and as I tried to stand, I realized I clearly had more to drink than intended. I stumbled a bit before falling backwards onto the couch. Bella did almost the exact same thing and ended up beside me on the couch, her dark brown hair falling all over her face and I stared at her, even though I couldn't help it. I also couldn't help the fact that I grabbed her face in my hand and kissed her gently. It was sweet and she tasted like whiskey and corona, but I didn't care. I softly pushed her hair out of the way as we both moved our bodies into a less awkward position and I was surprised by how forcefully she kissed me back. It was only a few minutes, but it was heavenly, at least I thought so. Before I had a chance to catch my breath, Bella pulled back and stood awkwardly from the couch. I wanted to grab her hand and take her up to my room, pulling off all of her clothes and ravage her on Emmett's lumpy bed, but instead she walked up the stairs, leaving me on the couch in a daze.

"If you fuck as good as you kiss, you'd definitely be better than Jacob," she called out from the top of the stairs as she disappeared into her bedroom. Was that an opening? Did she just ask me to come fuck her? I couldn't figure it out. I had never been so utterly confused or aroused by a girl at the exact same time. I sat on the bed contemplating everything and when I finally walked upstairs to ask Bella about it, she was passed out on the bed. I pulled the blankets up over her body and wandered into my own room to let sleep take me.

_Wait, I'm wrong, Should have done better than this  
Please, I'll be strong, I'm finding it hard to resist  
So show me what I'm looking for_

Save me, I'm lost  
Oh lord, I've been waiting for you  
I'll pay any cost  
Save me from being confused  
Show me what I'm looking for  
Show me what I'm looking for…oh lord

The words filled the room as I awoke from my restless night. I had dreamt about Bella again, but this time there was a lot more nudity, curse words and blindfolds involved. As I rubbed my eyes, I heard more than just the music filling the air. It sounded like Bella was singing along, so I peeked out from the bedroom and looked down to the main floor. Sure enough, she was dancing around the kitchen singing along to the song I didn't know. It was absolutely adorable.

"What did I tell you about peeping on me?" she shouted with her usual cute laugh.

"I wasn't peeping your crazy broad." I said sarcastically as I walked down the stairs to join her in the kitchen. Bella was making breakfast, and I was taken by surprise. She hadn't cooked the entire time I had been here, but here she was, flipping pancakes onto a plate while singing along with the music, although now it had changed to 'Santa Monica' by Everclear. "I didn't know you could cook."

"You never gave me a chance to cook Edward. I am actually an excellent cook." Bella continued onto the fridge where she picked up a container of Vermont maple syrup and some butter, placing them down on the counter in front of me. I eagerly prepared my pancakes and smiled happily when I took a bite, she was an superb cook. "See, I told you."

"You're right. You can cook pancakes. You should make us dinner tonight so I can see if you can cook something a little more elaborate," I suggested with a laugh as Bella nodded her head.

"Consider the challenge accepted," she said as she smiled up at me with a big grin. Apparently we were pretending our kiss last night never happened. Perhaps she couldn't even remember it, even though it had been one of my best kisses ever, if not the best. I didn't want to bring it up in conversation and ruin our pleasant mood, so I pushed it from my mind and continued to savor my breakfast.

"So, are we going to delve into our personal lives today? Am I going to hear about why Jacob couldn't satisfy your needs in bed?" I asked boldly. Bella poured herself a cup of coffee and looked over at me with a small smile.

"Why don't you tell me about Lauren first? I went first yesterday, so it's only fair." I nodded my head in reluctant agreement and finished my breakfast, washed the dishes and had a shower. When I returned back to the living only an hour later, Bella was finally putting her yoga pants to good use. She was stretching in the living room on a blue mat while watching an instructor lead her on video. She positioned her body into something the instructor called the 'pyramid pose' and I was instantly hard as I watched her place one foot in front of her and bend over so that her head was against her calve. All I could see was me standing behind her, ripping her pants down and shoving my hard cock deep inside her. Fuck, this wasn't getting any better. I went back into the bathroom and took a cold shower, praying to god she didn't notice I had two showers in a span of ten minutes.

When I stepped out of the shower, I heard the water running in the other bathroom and was immediately relieved that she was no longer doing yoga in the living room. Of course, my mind started to think about her naked in the shower. This was going to be a long day if I didn't reign in the pure lust I felt for Bella. I grabbed a beer, not really caring that it was only eleven in the morning and sat in a chair in the living room, watching the snow fall in the backyard and all over the deck. I was thinking constantly about Bella, it was a never ending cycle. I was trying to determine if I just wanted to fuck her, or if I really did like her, like I would a potential girlfriend. I tried to convince myself that Bella didn't want me like that, but then I remembered our kiss last night, which she had reciprocated. She was totally into me, I decided. Damn, this was going to make the confessions about Lauren a little harder than I originally thought.

"You ready to go champ?" she yelled a few minutes later as she walked down the stairs, looking very cute in a pair of candy cane pajama pants and a beat up pearl jam t-shirt, with her wet hair draped down her shoulders.

"Yeah why not? Let's get this shit over with so I can hear about your misery instead," I said nervously as she sat down on the couch, with a coffee table between us. I didn't like the distance, but I could handle it for now.

"So, tell about your tragic love life," she said with a laugh as I got comfortable in the chair and stared outside again. It was starting to snow a little heavier now, but I didn't care. We had enough supplies for a few more days.

"Well, let's start by saying that Lauren is a very persistent and perky blonde girl from L.A. who I met at a bar one night when I was completely wasted. I'm not much of a bar guy, well at least I'm not in L.A. I hate the pretentious bar scene, but Emmett was trying to impress his new girlfriend and dragged me with him." I said casually as I looked over at Bella to see her reaction. It was stoic; there was no reaction at all. "So, a few dozen drinks later I was bringing her home with me, which I never do. I never bring random girls back to my apartment, it's just an unspoken agreement between Emmett and I. Apparently Lauren lived too far away from the bar, so we went to my place which was only a few blocks away. I think she knew if we had to travel too far, I would lose all interest and throw myself out of the car."

I had tried to break the silence between us with that comment, but Bella didn't she laughed. She motioned with her hands for me to continue instead.

"Anyways, we slept together obviously and she spent the night. The next day, it was like we had fast forwarded three months into the relationship and she was making plans for us to go out with her friends and for me to meet her family. I was completely mortified. It was just my luck to find the most desperate chick in the entire bar. I couldn't even remember the sex with her, that's how good it was." I replied sarcastically as Bella laughed.

"Maybe we should hook Lauren up with Jacob," she said with a grin as I smiled up at her in ease. I nodded in agreement but went back to my story.

"So, we ended up going out on a few dates, and at the end of each one, I tried to break it to her gently that I didn't want to see her again. I thought she had taken the hint, but then she convinced my doorman Stan to let her into the building and my apartment. When I came home, she was on my bed naked, waiting for me. Thankfully Emmett came in at the same time and she ran in sheer horror as Emmett spent the rest of the night teasing me about my stalker."

"Did you take out a restraining order?" she asked with a chuckle.

"Bella, this is serious. I honestly think she is crazy. I had to make Emmett promise not to tell anyone where I was going out of sheer fear that she would come and find me. I saw her last the day before I came up here. She was at our place insisting that we had dinner plans with friends of hers, which I had never agreed to. I ended up arguing with her, pushing her into the hallway and locking the door. She texted me like twenty times after I got here, but I ignored her and blocked her calls. I think she has scared me from dating."

"Oh, it can't be that bad. Persistence can pay off sometimes," said Bella with a serious look on her face.

"Yeah, persistence can pay off, if you are even slightly interested in the person who is pursuing you. I'm sure if you were stalking me, I would probably jump at the opportunity." I slipped in the comment in the hopes of getting some sort of reaction from Bella. I would even settle for her acknowledging the kiss from last night, but there was nothing.

**BPOV**

He was definitely trying to figure out if I was upset or jealous as he told me about Lauren. I had to admit, I was both, but I wasn't going to show my cards to him just yet. I wasn't even going to consider anything further with him until he said something about our kiss the night before. It was one of the best I had ever had, and that was saying a lot, because I had kissed a lot of frogs in my time. Not that I was considering Edward my prince charming, but he was certainly a better kisser than the rest of my former boyfriends.

"You should be so lucky to have me pursuing you," I replied sarcastically as Edward stood from his chair and fetched himself another beer.

"So, what is your suggestion for dealing with my stalker?" he asked as I heard him crack it open and take a drink.

"You're moving to Seattle soon, just forget about her. Out of sight, out of mind, right?" I suggested coolly.

"Yeah, let's hope that works. She tends to be a bit persuasive, so she'll probably con the Postal Service into giving her my address," he said with a heavy sigh as he sat down on the couch beside me. He smelled so good, I thought to myself as I caught a quick whiff of his scent. He smelled like pine and sex.

"Then change your address to your L.A. office and have one of the people there ship the stuff to your new address if you are so paranoid about postal safety," I offered calmly as Edward laughed.

"You must think I am a complete dipshit for practically running away from this girl," he said as he took a sip of his drink and repositioned himself on the couch so he was facing me.

"No. I think you have enough to worry about without having to look over your shoulder every day to see if Lauren has found you again. The only other thing you can do to keep her away from you, is to get her dating someone else. Do you know anyone stupid enough to want her?" I suggested with a smile.

"Fuck no," he yelled out with a hearty laugh. "I wish I knew someone that stupid."

We talked casually for the rest of the hour about his situation and then he rose from his seat beside me and headed to the kitchen to make some lunch. "How do you feel about grilled cheese?" he asked simply after he opened the fridge and surveyed the contents.

"I feel pretty good about it. We have yet to get in a disagreement. I think grilled cheese likes me too," I replied sarcastically as I grabbed a Diet Pepsi from the fridge and watched him prepare our lunch. I sat down on a stool at the island and just stared at him, which I think he noticed, but he never said anything about it. As he stood before me, I felt the overwhelming urge to push him on the floor, rip his pants off and ride him till we both came in a heap of sheer pleasure, but I shook the thought from my head and decided to talk to him about Jacob instead. "So, you want to hear about my train wreck or not?"

"Of course I want to hear about it," he said as he flipped over the first sandwich in the frying plan and looking at me, eagerly awaiting what I had to say.

"Jacob was a family friend while I was growing up in Forks. You might even know him actually. Jacob Black, lived out at La Push," I said casually as Edward's eyes lit up.

"You dated Jacob Black?" he said incredulously. "Yeah, I knew him. We didn't exactly get along when I lived in Forks. It doesn't surprise me that he turned out to be a complete asshole though." I nodded my head at him and continued my story.

"Yes, I dated him. For two years after college. We obviously grew up together and our families are still friends. Anyways, after I graduated from college, we hooked up at a party that Alice dragged me too. I was way too drunk and Jacob was all too willing. He had asked me out several times through college and high school and I turned him down every time. If only I knew the things then that I know now huh?"

Edward handed me a plate with my grilled cheese on it, and a small helping of Doritos. It was very adorable and much appreciated. "He asked me out the next morning and I went out with him to dinner a few days later. I think it was to mainly placate him and to make myself feel like less of slut for sleeping with someone I had never even seen as anything more than a friend. We had dinner and it wasn't anything special, but he mentioned it to my father in passing, who immediately jumped on the Jacob bandwagon. My father was certain Jacob and I were soul mates, in fact, when I told him we broke up, he tried to get me to win him back." I heard Edward snort at this comment but he wanted me to continue, so I did. "I think that's one of the reasons I am dreading going back to Forks. I don't want to listen to my father talk about Jacob and how important he is to me, because he's not. Anyways, after almost a year of dating, Jacob moved in to my apartment, sort of. Alice had just moved out and I had a free bedroom and Jacob couldn't afford his rent, so I let him move in as my roommate only. Before I knew it, he was in my room every night and things had progressed… more than I ever wanted them to. I couldn't resist him though. He talked to me about his dreams for the future every night before bed, and I wanted them for him, just not with me."

"Why didn't you break up with him sooner?" asked Edward anxiously as he took a bite of his sandwich and stared at me carefully.

"I don't know. It could possibly be from a lack of self confidence, or sheer terror. I don't know why I didn't do it," I admitted ruefully as Edward looked at me in shock.

"You are one of the most confident girls I have ever met Bella, so I don't believe that. I think you were scared to be alone."

"Okay, so maybe I was scared to be alone. I probably still am," I said with a laugh as 'Save Me' by Aimee Mann came across the stereo. I reached for the remote and turned the song up so I could enjoy it more.

"Forget the music, keep going Bella."

"Fine, I didn't want to be alone, but now that I look back on everything, I really didn't want to be with Jacob either. It was only three months into him moving in with me that I began to think he was cheating on me. I ignored it, though when I remember things now, all the signs were there."

"So what happened three weeks ago that brought you here to the cabin, and thankfully into my life?" asked Edward curiously as he finished his lunch and took the plate to the kitchen to rinse it off.

"I found him on my couch fucking some dirty blonde bitch," I said angrily. Even as I recalled it, my fists clenched tight into themselves and I imagined ripping his head off.

"Ouch," sighed Edward. "But, you clearly never really loved him, well not as anything more than a friend, so shouldn't it be a relief that he's gone from your life. Maybe he was trying to get caught?"

"Doubtful. I was out of town at the time and I came home a day early to surprise him, only to be surprised myself. It still makes me sick to think about it, and I think I need to destroy my couch when I get home." Edward laughed at my plans, but smiled intensely at me, his sexy crooked smile that he had been shooting me for two days now.

"Why won't you talk about kissing me last night?" he blurted out. Talk about catching someone off guard.

"You never talked about it either," I replied tersely.

"Okay then, let's talk about it."

"Don't you want to hear the rest of my story about Jacob?" I asked nervously.

"I don't give a shit about Jacob Black; I give a shit about you Bella."


	8. Panties and Pine Trees

**A/N: This should have been posted a lot earlier, so I apologize to all of my lovely readers.**

**Glo4twilight – I hope you managed some sleep before work, and I hope you are all caught up on my stories so that you aren't up till two in the morning reading them. LOL **

**Lovebuggkiss – yeah, I'm the best. I know it. I'm also very humble!**

**Everyone else- yes, there will be hot lemons. Many of them. Just relax and be patient. I probably won't update this story for a day or two. I'm desperate to have the shit hit the fan in my 'American Girl' story.**

***I don't own twilight or anything like that, but I do own a lot of sunscreen. One of the perks of living in Las Vegas!**

**BPOV**

My eyes flew open in surprise as Edward blurted out '_I don't give a shit about Jacob Black; I give a shit about you Bella'_ I'm still shocked and I've been standing in the kitchen for almost two minutes with my mouth gaping wide open.

"Are you going to say something?" Edward asked curiously as he grabbed another beer from the fridge and handed it to me.

"Thanks," I said quietly as I opened the bottle and took a big drink. "I don't know what to say Edward. Our kiss was... it was nice," I started to say before he interrupted me.

"It was better than nice Bella, and you know it. It was honestly one of the best kisses I ever had, if not the best kiss, so don't claim it was just nice, because I know you are lying," he shouted at me as I wandered into the living room and sat down on the couch. He followed and sat down beside me, staring at me intently.

"Fine, it was fucking fantastic. Best kiss of my twenty three years, but it doesn't mean we should do it again," I said reluctantly as I watched his face fall before me. He had clearly wanted something to happen between us, and not only was I not ready for it; I didn't think it was a good idea to get involved with the big brother of my best friend.

"Why not?" he asked anxiously as he reached over and tried to grasp my hand in his. I tried to reposition myself, so he couldn't hold my hand, but he simply looked dejected, which was what I had been trying to avoid.

"I'm not ready, and even if I was… I don't think I should because of who you are. You're Alice's big brother and I'm her best friend. I just don't think it would be right," I admitted grudgingly. I had grown to have feelings for Edward in the past few days, but I knew I couldn't act on them. I was surprised by Edward's reaction to everything though. He stood from the couch and looked down at me furiously.

"If you don't fucking want me, stop with all the flirting. You are throwing out signals to me that scream 'fuck me Edward' and then when I even mention anything about the kiss we shared, you clam up, and claim you can't be with me. It's a pile of bullshit, and we both know it." He grabbed his beer and took another long drink, like he needed the liquid courage to continue speaking to me. "You're over Jacob because you were never truly in love with him. You just can't be happy. That's your fucking problem Bella. The moment something good comes into your life, you feel the need to fuck it up. Perhaps you should write about that." I felt the tears building in my eyes, but before I could look up at him or saying anything in response, he was gone from the room, bounding up the stairs and slamming the door behind him.

I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around me and started to cry. I had feelings for Edward, definite romantic feelings, but I couldn't act on them. I was certain that Alice would never approve of Edward and I being together; although I was certain she would like it even less if I was to hook up with Emmett. My main problem was that I didn't want to hook up with Edward; I wanted to be with him. He made me feel things I had never felt before, including wanted. He wanted me and I turned him down coldly. My heart ached because I knew he was upstairs, upset at how I had treated him and I didn't know how to fix things.

I gripped my beer like a lifeline and tried unsuccessfully to think of what would make me happy. I sat alone on the couch for what seemed like hours as daylight turned into night. I never made the dinner that I had promised him, knowing full well he wouldn't leave the room to eat it anyways. I was still trying to find the secret to my happiness. Edward seemed pretty certain that all my troubles didn't stem from my breakup with Jacob, but rather my inability to allow myself to be happy. The only thing that currently made me happy was Edward, and as I walked up the stairs and knocked on the door to his room, I knew what I had to do.

He didn't answer when knocked the first time, but I had expected that. When I opened the door slowly, I found him fast asleep on the bed, his iPod cradled in his hand and his headphones draped loosely over his head. I pulled them away from him and crawled into bed beside him. I was nervous; I had no idea what the fuck to do that wouldn't make him hate me more. So, I decided to just do what came naturally and I leaned forward and kissed him. It wasn't a soft peck either, I licked his bottom lip and then bit it softly, pulling it gently into my mouth and then he responded, just like I wished he would. His hand reached up behind my head, pulling me closer to him. This kiss was even better than the one on the couch, I thought to myself as Edward suddenly pulled away and jumped off the bed.

"What the fuck Bella?" he screamed in frustration.

"I want to try. I want you." I bent my head, expecting rejection, before I continued. "Let's just try for the next ten days and if things don't work out, no one will have to know anything."

"Oh, so you determined that you want to try to be with me, for ten days. How romantic," stated Edward angrily as he sat down on the chair in the corner of the room. I got off the bed and moved closer to him. I was trying to keep my distance, but I felt this inexplicable need to be near him.

"I like you, like I _really_ like you. I just want the chance to get to know you better. You make me happy and you seem to think I should do something to make me happy, and that is you. So, I want to try," I said again as he looked at me anxiously.

"Define try," he said with a small grin, as I glared at him because he knew bloody well what I meant.

"Umm… I want to get to know you more, in every possible way." I hoped that was clear enough, and smiled eagerly as he stood from the chair and pulled me into a hug.

"I want to try too, but I can't promise that I won't want more after ten days," he said with a sigh as he kissed my forehead. "Where's the dinner you promised me?"

"I didn't make it," I replied sadly as he lifted my chin up with one finger. "I wasn't even sure I would come up here and say anything. I'll cook tomorrow night," I said with a gentle smile as his stomach began to growl. "Shit, I should have cooked."

"Don't worry about it. It's only like seven, why don't we go into town and have dinner. Like a date?" he said with his signature smile. I nodded my head in agreement and stepped from the room, freaking out about what the hell I would wear to a date with Edward. I didn't even bring anything even remotely cute or sexy. Most of my clothes were pajamas and yoga clothes. Fuck, even my panties were practically granny panties. I reminded myself to head into town tomorrow to hit Target; they must have something lacy or cute to wear. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a simple blue sweater before I pulled my hair into a loose ponytail and practically ran down the stairs, where he was waiting with our coats in his hand.

"Where to?" I asked curiously as he locked the door behind us and led me towards his Volvo.

"I have no idea. Why don't we just see what they have in town? We might be stuck with Dairy Queen though?" he said with a small smile.

"That's fine. I could go for chicken fingers and a cookie dough blizzard right about now," I laughed as he reached over and turned up the heat. It was friggin freezing outside, and I hadn't thought about that when I had made my arrangements to come here. Why couldn't the Cullen's have had a cottage in Florida or somewhere a little warmer? We drove in relative silence into town and as we drove by, I looked wistfully at Target. Edward ended up stopping in front a small café, which was all decorated for Christmas. It looked like one of those places that were never busy, but the food was always excellent. I nodded my head in approval as Edward practically ran over to my side of the car to open the door for me. "How polite of you."

"Well, I probably have to make up for the past few days of being an utter jackass to you, so why not right?" I laughed quietly as I felt his hand on the small of my back, leading me into the restaurant. As I had expected, they weren't really busy. The hostess / waitress sat us down at a small table in the corner, close to the fireplace and Christmas tree. I looked over at them and it finally felt like the holidays to me, for a few minutes anyways. Sure we had decorated the cabin a bit, but it wasn't overly festive. I was used to going all out, especially when Alice lived with me.

I grabbed the menu from the table and began searching through it for something that appealed to me. I ended up deciding on a toasted club sandwich with french fries. I started singing along quietly to the Christmas music that filled the air as Edward kept staring at the menu. "They offer like ten different things, how is this so hard of a decision?" I asked sarcastically as the waitress arrived with our drinks and waited eagerly for our order. Edward ended up ordering a hamburger with curly fries and he looked at me curiously.

"What? I asked as the waitress turned from our table and walked away.

"You look really pretty tonight," he remarked genuinely as I found myself getting nervous and fidgeting with my hands. "Is it odd that this doesn't feel awkward to me at all?"

"No, it feels really easy to me too. Like we've been dating for months and we're on holiday together." I almost immediately regretted my words when they came from my mouth, but Edward just smiled brighter at me. It was exactly how I felt, but I think that was just because we had spent the past two days pouring our hearts out to each other about our lives. He knew more about my hopes and dreams than Alice did, and she's my best friend. I glanced back over at the Christmas tree again, but this time Edward caught me staring.

"So, you want a tree huh?"

"No, a tree in the cabin would be stupid. We're only there for nine days. Why bother with all the effort to put it up, only to have to take it back down again so quickly. I was just admiring their tree, it's really nice," I lied. It actually wasn't that nice. In fact it looked a little bit like a Charlie Brown kind of tree, complete with a ragged blue blanket wrapped around the bottom of it. The decorations were few and far between and I was certain there was only one string of lights on it. It was sad.

"Whatever Bella, that is one of the most pathetic trees I have ever seen. Haven't you ever seen one of my mother's Christmas trees? Those are nice. A little too extravagant, but nice none the less."

"Yeah, Alice and Esme do tend to go a little bit overboard during the holidays," I remarked with a chuckle as Edward smiled back at me happily.

"You'll have to see it this year."

**EPOV**

We were only five minutes into our date and I already wanted to bring Bella home for Christmas. Now I felt just as pathetic as the tiny Christmas tree beside the fireplace here. It was so small; they should be using it for kindling, not to hold eight glass balls and one string of lights.

"Um… can we just get through dinner before we discuss Christmas with our families?" she asked anxiously. I nodded my head in agreement and reached over the table to grab her hand in mind, hoping to be comforting to her instead of creepy. I took it as a positive sign that she didn't pull her hand away. We spent the next thirty minutes discussing our mutual love of music. She talked to me all about the last concert she went to, which was the Kings of Leon, with Alice and Jasper. Mine was Pearl Jam and it was unfortunately several years ago.

"Didn't Jacob ever take you to a concert?" I asked inquisitively. I was still curious about her relationship with Jacob, even though I knew he treated her like shit. I wanted to get all the details, not just as a friend but as a potential boyfriend, so I knew what not to do in the future.

"No. We'd go to bars where some bands or singers would perform, but we never once went to a concert like at an arena or concert hall. I always went to those with Alice. We've seen Death Cab for Cutie, Coldplay and Paramore in concert in the past year alone," she said easily as I suddenly felt the need to take her to concert, and then take her home and fuck her. Damn brain, always in the gutter.

"I'm glad you and Alice have each other," I replied sincerely as we started into a long conversation regarding my baby sister. We both had agreed that even though she always had the best intentions, she sometimes went about things the wrong way. As the conversation got easier, I glanced down at my watch, I noticed it was almost ten o'clock and we were the only people left in the café. I paid the bill, leaving a tip that was way too big for the service, and I grasped Bella's hand in mine, leading her back to my car. I can definitely do sweet and romantic, I thought to myself as I opened the car door open for her. She pressed play on the stereo, eager to hear what I had playing when I drove into town. She laughed heartily as the opening to 'Head like a Hole' by Nine Inch Nails filled the car.

"Pretty Hate Machine is an awesome album, don't look so ashamed," she started to say as she stared out the window towards the snow covered pine trees that surrounded us. "I was always partial to their Downward Spiral album myself." I laughed as we listened to the music in silence for the rest of the drive. When I pulled into the driveway, I suddenly became nervous. If this had been a real date, I would definitely go in for the kiss. I wasn't sure if I should do it now though. Bella unbuckled her seat belt and immediately reached for the door handle, but I locked the doors swiftly.

"Um… what are you doing?" she asked curiously as she fumbled to get out of the car.

"I had a good time tonight Bella," I admitted easily as she turned back to smile at me.

"Me too," she said quickly before I grabbed her head and pulled her towards me for a kiss. It was gentle and soft. There was no biting or licking, like the kiss she had given me in my bed earlier, but it was perfect for a first date. I pulled away and Bella's eyes were closed and she was smiling brightly. I unlocked the doors and her eyes shot open in surprise.

"Let's go in," I said smugly as I hopped out of the car and opened the door for her. I led her back into the house and thanked her again for the date. Suddenly, it felt awkward.

"I'm going to head to bed, I'm actually pretty tired," she said remorsefully as she squeezed my hand in hers and headed up the stairs to my old bedroom, which I suddenly wished I was sleeping in again.

I headed to the kitchen and fetched a beer, before throwing myself down on the couch, to recall the events of the day. I was restless. I couldn't sleep and I couldn't shut my brain off, so I did what any logical man would do. I headed to the storage room behind the kitchen to see if we had any additional Christmas decorations. Sure enough, there was three boxes of various ornaments left over from when we had tried to have a Cullen family Christmas here when I was seventeen.

I bundled up in my coat and grabbed an axe from the garage. I think even I was shocked that I was dragging my ass out into the cold night to chop down a pine tree, but I didn't care. It was almost three in the morning when I finally finished and sat down on the couch to admire my work because the Christmas tree was lit up and decorated. I was shocked that Bella hadn't heard me at all because it took a lot of effort to drag that thing into the house and set it up. When I had finished, it actually didn't look too bad. It certainly wasn't as fancy as anything my mother would do, but it was a vast improvement over the tree in the restaurant. I didn't even get a chance to drag my tired ass up to bed, opting instead to pass out on the couch.

'You have tinsel in your hair' I heard quietly as I rubbed my eyes and felt a hand running though my hair. Bella's hand.

"At least it's not all over the house, although I do need to vacuum all the pine needles that lead from the back deck," I said in frustration as I sat up on the couch and looked over at her. She was sitting on the floor beside the couch and looked disappointed that I had moved and she could no longer play with my hair.

"I'll vacuum. It's a small price to pay for such a beautiful tree," she said with as smile as she glanced quickly over her shoulder to the tree. So it hadn't been a dream. I had actually chopped down a tree and decorated it for her. I don't think I had ever done such grand gesture for anyone before.

"I hope you're not mad. I couldn't sleep last night and after seeing you look at that sad little tree at the restaurant, I thought you might like one of_ our_ own," I said genuinely as her hand moved up and started to rub my thigh gently.

"It's perfect."

"Phew, I'm glad you like it," I said with a laugh as I wiped my brow in mock relief.

"I don't like it Edward, I love it," said Bella as she got off from the floor and sat beside me on the couch, still rubbing my thigh gently with her hand. I desperately wanted to kiss her. My head had been filled with thoughts of our previous kisses all night, which only helped me to finish the tree faster. As I turned towards Bella, to look her in the eye, I could see the same emotion in her face that I knew was on mine. Desire. I leaned forward and cupped her face in my hands before pulling her closer to me. I kissed her lips tenderly, and then a bit more forceful when she clearly didn't resist. Our mouths opened and our tongues reached out at almost the exact same time, and I found myself moving forward against her, pushing her back against the couch, with my body hovering above her, our lips never parting.

Suddenly I felt her push back against my chest gently to stop everything. "I'm sorry," she said in frustration as she fidgeted with her hands again. "I really need to go to Target."

"Um… okay," I replied with a grin as she started to look even more nervous. "I'll go with you. Let's just have some breakfast and get cleaned up and then we can go." Bella suddenly looked mortified.

"No, I think I can handle it myself, if you don't mind? But breakfast and a shower do sound good."

I didn't push the fact that she didn't want me to go to the store with her. She probably had to get something embarrassing and didn't want me to see because we were still in the early stages of whatever the hell we were doing. I just smiled at her and reassured her that I didn't mind if she went alone. We each had a quick bowl of cereal and headed upstairs to have our showers. When Bella was finally ready to leave for the store, I gave her a quick kiss at the door and advised her to be safe on the snow covered roads. The moment she was gone from the driveway, I grabbed my coat and decided that now was the perfect time to head into town to try and find her a Christmas gift.


	9. Puzzle Pieces

**A/N: I would like to thank the good folks at Dr. Pepper, for without which, I would never have finished this chapter. Big thanks to my loyal readers who waited patiently as I updated the hell out of 'American Girl'**

**Ivygirl702, I hope this new chapter helps feed your addiction to my stories.**

**I hope everyone reviews their little hearts out. This chappie is longer that I would usually write, and it's filled with lemony goodness. Enjoy the ride!**

**I don't own twilight, I do however have to suffer through dinner with the inlaws tomorrow night. Pray for me.**

**BPOV**

I gripped the steering wheel tightly as I drove along the highway into town. I was focused on the road and my thoughts of Edward at the exact same time. Our kiss was foremost in my mind as I pulled into the parking lot and I immediately knew I was about to spend more than was necessary on matching bra and panty sets. Before I stepped from the car, I ran my finger along my still swollen lips, recalling our kiss again. It completely clouded all my logical thoughts. When I walked into the brightly lit store, my hand instinctively reached down for a basket, but I thought better of it and grabbed a shopping cart instead.

As the lingerie section came into view, the first thing I saw was a big sleep shirt with Tweety Bird on it. Definitely not sexy, I thought to myself as I felt a bit discouraged. I rolled my eyes and pushed my cart further into one of the aisles and I yelped in excitement as I came across a plethora of lacy bras and panties. There were thongs, g-strings and ass hugging boy shorts, which were my personal favorite. I grabbed a few different styles in my size, with the matching bra. I even grabbed a really cute red and white satin set which I thought looked both sexy and festive. Unfortunately, they didn't have anything else that could pass for sexy lingerie. No garters, no baby dolls or anything of the sort.

I decided to go and check out their Christmas section again. Since it was getting closer to the big day, there was actually several sales going on and I decided to pick up a few more items, including stockings for me and Edward to hang from the fireplace. I just thought it would be a cute touch, and certainly would help it look a bit more like Christmas, not that the tree didn't make it a hundred times better, because it did, but it felt like something was missing. I also picked up a few other items, including some hot chocolate because I knew there was none in the cabin. I had looked the first night I arrived because I had been craving it something fierce.

As I waited in line for the cashier, I noticed she was around my age, so I asked her about lingerie stores in the area when I was checking out. I was pleased with what I had purchased, but it didn't feel like it was enough. She told me about a small store down the road about a mile called 'Ella's' which featured more high end lingerie, and I was ecstatic. I paid for my purchases happily and drove to Ella's with a big smile on my face. Once inside, I felt more in my element. I ended up getting another bra and panty set as well as two satin nighties. I had spent almost three hundred dollars between the two stores, but in my opinion, it was money well spent.

On my drive home, I stopped off at the grocery store to pick up a few more items for dinner tonight, including two bottles of white wine to go with the chicken I was planning to make. I was a little surprised when I pulled into the driveway to find Edward's car gone. He hadn't mentioned needing to step out, but he could have had a last minute change of plans, so I didn't worry about it. Instead I ran upstairs to my room and ripped all the tags off of everything and slipped into a new dark blue lace set I had purchased as Ella's. I tossed my casual clothes back over top and headed to the kitchen to start dinner. I was concentrating on my Creole Fried Chicken when I heard Edward walk in the door. I tried to sneak a peek around the island to see him, but he practically ran up the stairs to his room for a few minutes. When he came back down, he looked exhausted, but handsome as ever.

"I was about to send the Jackson Hole Police out looking for you," I said with a grin as he walked over to me, wrapped his arm around my waist and gently kissed my temple. It felt like we had been dating for years, not just starting out, and I kind of liked it. I wished it had been this easy with Jake. Well not really, because it if had been this easy I wouldn't be with Edward now, but I wished it had been easier.

"That looks good," he replied as he deflected my question completely. "So, what's on the menu Emeril?"

"Creole Fried Chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, braised carrots and white wine." I said casually as I reached into the fridge for some milk for my potatoes. I watched a little dumbfounded as he licked his lips as I explained to him what dinner consisted of. Oh, how I wanted those lips and that tongue all over me. I glanced over at the microwave, upon which I had set a timer on for the chicken, and noticed there was only five minutes left."Can you set the table and get out the wine? Dinner will be out of the oven in a few minutes." Edward simply nodded his head at me and set to work, like a good little helper.

I smiled contentedly as I watched him move around me. He set the table differently than usual. Instead of us being at opposite ends of the long table, we were directly beside each other. He set out the wine glasses and poured us each a glass. It wasn't any fancy wine, but what can you expect at Safeway in Jackson Hole, I thought to myself. Edward even lit a few candles on the table as I was serving everything onto our plates.

"If this tastes even half as good as it smells, it's going to be excellent," he said confidently as I slid the plate in front of him and took my seat. He leaned over and kissed my cheek sweetly. "Thanks Bella, this looks really good." I just nodded my head, still a little surprised by his romantic nature. How he was still single, I had no idea, but I wasn't going to complain. The ladies of Los Angeles were clearly missing out on a great guy.

Dinner conversation was easy going. We didn't discuss our jobs or our former love lives, instead opting to discuss any random little thought that popped into our heads. I wanted to ask him about where he had gone today, but I didn't want to make it seem like I was keeping tabs on him, so I decided not to worry about it. "This is excellent Bella, where did you learn to cook?"

"Food Network mainly. It was funny that you called me Emeril earlier, because this is actually one of his recipes." Edward and I both laughed easily and enjoyed the rest of our meal. "What do you want to do tonight?" I asked softly, as he picked up the plates from the table and brought them to the sink. He insisted on cleaning everything up, even though I had tried to clean most of the items as I went along.

"Honestly, I've been eyeing up the hot tub on the back deck, but if you don't want to, that's fine too. We can always scan through each other's iPods and make fun of the random crap or I think there's a bunch of board games in the back storage room. Esme was always a sucker for family night," said Edward as he rinsed off a few of the dishes and put them into the dishwasher.

"Wow, we can play Battleship, lovely," I replied sarcastically.

"I don't think we have Battleship actually. I know there's Risk, Lord of the Rings Monopoly and Cranium. Those were the main games we played when we were here. There might be more, I'm not sure."

"I actually like the hot tub idea," I replied, trying to sound casual, when all I really wanted was Edward without his shirt on.

"Okay. Well let me finish up here and I will go get it ready. Go get dressed and we'll meet back in like ten minutes or so," remarked Edward as a huge grin crossed his face. Apparently he wanted me in the hot tub too. I nodded my head and slowly walked up the stairs, watching him in the kitchen as I went.

When I got into the bedroom, I immediately started to clean it, not that it was messy, but I was hoping he would be sleeping in here tonight so I wanted to make a good impression. I rummaged through my luggage looking for my bathing suit and immediately panicked because I couldn't find it. _Shit_. I stepped into Alice's room to see if she had something suitable for me to wear, but the bikini I found in her drawer was way too small to cover anything, I might as well go naked. A light bulb went off in my head and I eagerly stripped off all my clothes and wrapped myself in a bathrobe. I was being more courageous and forward than usual, but I was stepping out of my element and I enjoyed it. I headed down the stairs, keeping the tie on the bathrobe tightly fastened.

"I have everything set outside, I even put out some candles, I hope you don't mind," asked Edward nervously. I simply nodded my head and waited by the back door. "Why don't you find something you want to listen to on the iPod. I hooked it up to the outside speakers, so we can listen in the hot tub. Feel free to get in anytime you want."

"Thanks, I'll meet you outside." I watched intently as Edward climbed the stairs, two steps at a time and headed excitedly into his room. I turned on the music to some soothing Mazzy Star and stepped out onto the back deck. It was fricking cold outside, and the steam was pouring off of the hot tub like dry ice from the stage of a rock concert in 1987. I was sort of relieved that Edward wouldn't see me completely naked yet, so I dropped the bathrobe and slipped tentatively into the water. It felt awesome in comparison to the cool night air. I turned the jets on, hoping the bubbles would mask my nudity for at least a few minutes, and just as I got comfortable, I saw Edward walking around in the kitchen.

He was wearing the cutest pair of blue and white plaid swim shorts that fell to his knees, but when my eyes rose to his chest, I was caught off guard. I hadn't realized he was so built. I mean, he looked good in everything he wore, but he looked better without it. Damn, how did I get so lucky? "How's the water?" he asked as he stepped outside with two towels and draped them on the small chair beside the hot tub.

"It's nice."

"Just nice? You want to be a writer and all you can say is 'it's nice'?" laughed Edward as I glared at him for a moment.

"Fine then, it's soothing, calming, exquisite, superb, wonderful, comforting, astonishing and magnificent. Is that more to your liking?" I asked sarcastically as he stepped into the tub and took a seat across from me. Thankfully he couldn't see I was naked because of the bubbles. He might not have got in the tub had he known. Then again, he might have gotten in a lot faster, I thought to myself as he smiled at me and my heart skipped a beat.

"Yeah, that's better. This is nice, you were right. I don't just mean the water though. It's nice to just sit out here and relax. Stare out at the snow covered ground and the gigantic trees. I don't know why we didn't come up here more," said Edward with a sigh as he ran his finger along his temple for a moment, as though he was thinking about something.

"Everything alright?" I asked curiously as I sat nervously across from him. I was suddenly frozen to my seat, not quite sure what to do next.

"Yeah. It's good." Edward closed his eyes and leaned his head back, as though he was staring up into the night sky. I took it as a sign and lowered myself into the water, moving closer to him. His legs were spread apart and I moved so slowly he didn't hear me. I moved my hands slowly up his thighs, over his swim trunks. I wanted to lean up and kiss his lips, but chose instead to trail a few kisses across his chest. I felt his arms wrap around me and then listened as a small gasp left his mouth.

**EPOV**

She was not wearing a bathing suit. Well, she could be wearing bathing suit bottoms, but I wasn't bold enough to find out yet. She was topless and in between my legs. _Holy Fuck_. I honestly think getting in this hot tub was the best idea I have ever had. Screw all the multimillion dollar ad campaigns I had come up with, the hot tub with Bella was officially my best idea. I moved my fingers along her back, trying to be casual about the fact that her breasts were against my thighs, but it wasn't working. I was immediately hard at the realization and if she moved forward any more, she would definitely know.

I was a little taken aback by her boldness. I didn't really peg Bella for the sexually outgoing girl, but I wasn't complaining right now. I kept my eyes closed and my head back and waited for her to take the next step, which was her licking my neck, and shit, it felt fantastic. I moaned quietly as I felt her hands move against my chest, sliding up and down slowly. I wanted to reach down and grab her ass, bringing her to my lap to straddle me, but she was leading and I didn't want to ruin this. I wanted her to take whatever she wanted. "Edward…" she whispered quietly as I felt her lips on my ear, her bare breasts now against my chest. I shivered from the feel of her skin against mine and lifted my head, looking down at her.

"Yeah?" I replied, still trying to sound casual even though I thought I was going to have a coronary. She looked perfect, and ten million times better than I could have imagined. Her breasts were by no means big, which is what every girl in L.A. had, but hers looked just right. They were creamy, supple and I just wanted to lick all around her and suck on her nipple.

Bella didn't respond to my question, instead opting to grab my hands and bring them up to her breasts so I could hold them, feel them, massage them. I don't think she cared what I did as long as my hands were all over her. I immediately started to grip them lightly with my fingers, paying particular attention to her pert little nipples. I watched as she arched her back slightly from my touch and let out her own low moan. I was rock hard when she moaned; I thought I might cum before she even touched me. This was not what I had planned for the evening, but god bless her for doing this.

I reached down to grab her ass and pull her onto my lap. I wanted to suck her nipples into my mouth, but groaned the moment my hand touched her. She was completely fucking naked, and suddenly my inner monologue was shot to hell.

"You're fucking naked," I practically yelled in excitement.

"I forgot my bathing suit," she said shyly as she pulled herself onto my lap, her legs straddling mine. I looked up to the sky and held my hands together as though I was praying and Bella simply laughed at me.

"Sorry if I seemed a little shocked," I said as I wrapped my arms around her and held her close to me.

"It's all good. I like to shock you." My mind was suddenly filled with all sorts of ways Bella could surprise me and a big grin crossed my face. "Like right now for instance, I could step out of the tub and leave you here, wanting more. That would probably shock you." I nodded my head and leaned down to kiss her neck.

"Do you like to be surprised Bella?" I asked as my hand gripped her ass tightly and I pushed her against my erection. She let out a little gasp and I smiled.

"Yes," she replied breathlessly.

"What else do you like Bella?" I asked seductively. I liked this game, and I was reveling in saying her name. I loved it.

"I like this," she replied with a sly smirk as she reached her hand between us and grasped my cock in her hand. All of a sudden, I wanted to ravish her body, but there was no way I was fucking this goddess in a hot tub. I couldn't handle it anymore, and I hopped out and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around myself. "Where are you going?" she asked in disappointment.

"_We_ are going inside," I said confidently as I took her hand in mine and helped her out. The moment her foot reached the edge of the tub, I think my heart stopped beating. I handed her the robe she had brought out and wrapped it around her tightly before leading her into the living room. "Stay put," I said as she sat down on the edge of the couch and looked around nervously. I quickly threw another log on the fire and grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch, laying it down between the fireplace and the coffee table, on the floor.

I didn't even have to ask her to join me; she came and sat down on the blanket before I did. God I wished we had a bear skin rug right now, I thought to myself as I yanked my damp shorts off and put them along the hearth of the fireplace. I kept the towel wrapped around my waist, not quite sure if we were ready to completely go to the next stage, but there was no way I laying down beside her in soaking wet swim trunks.

"I missed you today," I admitted pathetically. I had actually spent most of my day in a small jewelry store off of the main street called 'Houston's.' Almost all of their things were ridiculously overpriced or completely ostentatious, neither of which I thought Bella would appreciate. I didn't want to end up buying her something cheesy from Target so I ended up settling on a rather dainty watch. It was stainless steel, but the band was fairly thin and the face had tiny diamonds on it. I thought I was playing it safe with a watch over some diamonds earrings or something. After all, I had only met this girl a few days ago.

"You did huh?" she replied as she laid on her side and propped her head up on her hand, her arm bent at the elbow. I simply nodded and took a few moments to appreciate her beauty as the bathrobe slipped from her shoulder and revealed the swell of her tempting breast. "What did you miss?"

"Everything. Being near you, smelling you, touching you," I replied honestly as I reached over and slid my hand from her neck to the small indent between her breasts. I heard her breath hitch slowly and moved closer to her. "I want you so fucking badly Bella." My eyes were instantly glued to hers, waiting for a response. She said nothing, but expressed her intent completely as she pulled the robe off and lay before me completely naked.

"You want me?" she asked seductively as I stared at her. She was stunning. In fact, stunning probably wasn't even the proper word to describe her beauty. I bent my head towards her and kissed her as fiercely as I could; I moved my hand behind her neck and pushed her towards me. As I ran my tongue slowly along her bottom lip, she opened her mouth tentatively and her tongue then outstretched to meet mine. I groaned as I felt Bella's hands move along my sides, down to my thighs and back up my chest. I slowed our kisses considerably, knowing that I wanted to take my time with her and worship her the way she deserved.

I pulled away and let my tongue lead the way from her lips to her neck, as it finally headed towards her luscious breasts. I cupped them in my hands and quickly bent forward, sucking one hard nipple into my mouth as Bella gasped from my touch. I loved listening to her as I pleased her. "Fuck," she moaned out as I bit her gently and her fingers suddenly raked against my back. I sat back on my knees for a moment, my lower half still covered in the towel and I stared down at her. I knew what I wanted, but I wanted to hear Bella tell me what she wanted.

"Bella?" I whispered quietly as she nodded her head in response. "Tell me what you want baby." I repositioned myself so that I was between her spread legs and I lost all coherent though as I looked down at her gorgeous body, mere inches away from me. Before she could even respond, I felt myself drawn her to like a moth to a flame and was suddenly licking her slit and spreading her folds open to me as I slipped a finger inside her. I licked and sucked every square inch of her clit, biting down on it to elicit louder moans from her.

"I want this," she shouted out as my tongue darted inside of her; she tasted heavenly. "I want to cum for you Edward." The more she spoke to me, the more I wanted to please her for the rest of our lives. I used my forearms to hold her thighs open to me and began to rub her clit in small circles as I slipped my tongue in and out of her wetness. I felt her quiver beneath me and was a smug son of bitch when she finally came, with me lapping up every drop of her enthusiastically.

I felt Bella's hands reach into my hair and she pulled me up to kiss her, not even caring that I just had my tongue inside of her. She could clearly taste herself on me and the fact that she didn't pull away, made her even sexier in my opinion. I felt her tug the towel away from my body, leaving me in position between her legs to simply move two inches and I would be buried inside of me. As I longed for her, I realized we were in the middle of the living room, with no condoms. I let out a long breathe and Bella looked at me in confusion before she smiled and slid her body closer to mine.

"Don't worry… I'm good," she said with a grin as I stared back at her with pure desire. I had never been with a girl bareback, but I couldn't wait to do it with Bella. I trusted her. I nodded my head in acknowledgment and gripped her hips with my hands, as I pulled her back towards me and slipped my length deep inside of her.

"Holy shit," she screamed out as I suddenly tensed, worried that I had hurt her. I stopped moving and tried to pull out of her as Bella wrapped her legs around my waist, refusing to let go.

"Am I hurting you?" I asked with concern as her eyes rolled back and she started to move her body against mine.

"Fuck no. You feel perfect, it's just..." she started to say as I felt slightly relieved and began to pump myself inside of her tight hear.

"It's just what?" I asked curiously as she gripped the blanket beneath us tightly.

"Ugh, it's never felt this good. It's never felt so right," she replied breathlessly as I smiled ecstatically at her. I was so glad it wasn't just me that felt like that. To quote the Lemonheads, she is the puzzle piece behind my couch that makes my sky complete. Everything was right and I didn't want to let her go. "Fuck me," she yelled again as my finger found her clit and began rubbing furiously as I pounded my hard cock deep inside of her.

We ended up coming within seconds of each other and collapsing into a heap on the floor. I reached over and quickly threw another log on the fire as I swept Bella up into my arms and wrapped the blanket around us. I buried my head in her neck and kissed her sweetly as my fingers gently ran the length of her back. She shivered beneath me and I immediately began to worry about her.

"Are you cold?" I asked in concern as she turned her body around to face me.

"No. It's just pure bliss laying here in your arms," she replied genuinely as I kissed her lips, sucking her bottom lip into my mouth. "I'm just shivering when you touch me. I love it."

"Can you believe that a few days we couldn't stand to be in the same room as each other, and now I am completely mesmerized by every single move you make and word you say?"

"Will you do me a big favor?" she asked with a nervous smile as I kissed her gently again and looked at her curiously. "Can we have hot chocolate?"

"You can have whatever the hell your heart desires Bella," I replied as I grabbed her bathrobe and handed it to her, but she tossed it aside, choosing instead to walk into the kitchen naked.

"What if it wants you?" she replied casually as she reached into the cupboard for some cups.

"I'm already yours Bella."

**A/N: The Lemonheads song referenced is called "Alison's Starting to Happen' and I used to be addicted to it in the mid 90's. I hope this lemon makes up for the lack of updates as of late. I'm hoping they will become more frequent.**


	10. Waffles and Moose

**A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, yet again. I think I have the best readers out there, but I am biased! LOL **

**Lovebuggkiss – my in laws are the devil incarnate. Unfortunately for me, I fell for my husband pretty bad before I met them**

**I've already started the next chapter and expect it to also be posted tonight. On a side note, the stories will be slowing down for the next three weeks or so because I am moving back to Canada on the 26****th****. Don't worry, I don't plan to abandon them at all, in fact, they are my stress reliever as I go through this crap, but I just may not get them updated as quickly as possible. I'm sure you will all be patient regardless**

**Fan fiction is my drug and bacmel79, you are my drug buddy *wink***

**Oh and MeghanBailey... I got your email and will read it ASAP! Thanks for trusting me!**

**I don't own twilight, but I do own a lot of shit I need to pack up or sell before I leave Vegas. Anyone need furniture in the Vegas area?? LOL**

**BPOV**

I wasn't surprised when I woke up naked in the bed in my room, or actually in Edward's room. After we had enjoyed our hot chocolate on the blanket in front of the fire, we ended up heading up to bed, where we enjoyed a second round of love making that was almost as exquisite as the first. This time it was more primal and animalistic. Neither of us was nervous or had any reservations about what we were doing, and just like dinner the night before, it felt like we had been together for ages. I rolled over and shoved my palms down over my eyes to rub the sleep from them. I wanted to watch Edward while he slept, but I was beaten to the punch.

"Morning sexy," he whispered sweetly as he leaned forward and his lips gently grazed mine. It was so soft, it barely qualified as a kiss, but it was heavenly.

"How long have you been awake?" I asked curiously as I let out a huge yawn and stretched my arms over my head.

"Not long. I've actually just been laying here trying to think of something we can do today," he replied genuinely as he pulled my nude body closer to his.

"Another date huh?" I asked as I raised my eye brow at Edward curiously. He simply nodded his head and smiled down at me. I returned the smile eagerly at the mere mention of another date with him and from the look on his face, he appeared just as excited. "Any ideas?"

"Well, there's skiing and snowboarding nearby. Do you like to ski?" I let out a long laugh and a snort. If Alice was here, she would no doubt be rolling on the floor, laughing her ass off.

"Do I like to ski?" I laughed again as the words came from my mouth this time. "No. I generally have issues with any surface that is not flat. Adding skis and a large hill is definitely an accident in the making, and by accident, I mean trip to the emergency room." Edward looked at me a bit incredulously and smiled wide.

"Okay, we definitely don't need any broken bones," he replied as his fingers move slowly down my arm, causing me to shiver slightly. "So, we need to do something on solid ground. What about ice skating?"

"That's definitely better than skiing, but still a possible hazard. It's a consideration though. What else did you have in mind?"

"Bella, we're kinda limited if you don't want to ski or snowboard. I'm guessing cross country skiing or snowmobiling is out too?" he asked a little frustrated.

"Okay, ice skating it is, but just remember you've been forewarned about my balance issues," I replied as I leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "What do you want for breakfast?" I jumped from the bed and tossed on my favorite yoga pants and a tank top. Edward just stayed in bed and looked at me intensely. "If you don't answer, you don't get anything."

I started to walk down the stairs when I suddenly heard him shout out 'waffles'. I smiled brightly and continued on into the kitchen, where I immediately fixed a pot of coffee and stared at the clock. It was eight in the morning. Why did I have to wake up so damned early when I was technically on vacation? As I whipped together the batter, Edward wandered into the kitchen and helped by grabbing the waffle maker from one of the upper cabinets, before helping himself to some coffee. I plugged in the waffle maker and waited impatiently for the green light to go on, signaling that I could pour the batter.

"Before we leave, I think we should talk more about my… issues," I said anxiously as I handed Edward the cream from the fridge. He simply smiled at me and nodded his head. "How about during breakfast?"

"Sounds fine to me. I actually have some questions I want to ask about everything," said Edward with a grin as he sat down at the table and fiddled with his iPhone. He muttered a few things under his breath, but it was nothing I was able to decipher, so I ignored it and continued to work on the waffles. It seemed like only moments later when we were casually seated across from each other at the table, enjoying our breakfast. "Are you gonna start or do I get to just ask questions?"

"Why don't you just ask me some questions? I forget where I left off anyways," I replied with an anxious sigh as Edward took a bite of his waffle and immediately started.

"You mentioned before that when you looked back on everything that all the signs were there that he was cheating… what were the signs?"

"Where do I start? A few months ago most of Jacob's friends started to act weird around me, very secretive, which was unusual for them because they were usually very open. Of course, I later found out from Leah that everyone knew he was cheating because he brought her to meet his dad one day and introduced her as simply a 'friend.'" Edward nodded and waited for me to continue as he moaned in delight over his blueberry waffles. "He never let me do his laundry, but one day when I did, I found condoms in his back pocket and I've been on the pill for ages. I found that shit just before I went on my business trip."

Edward was listening very intently and I was glad he wasn't judging the fact that I had missed the signs earlier. "He also became a little more possessive late in the relationship, and kept asking if I was seeing other people. When I had business meetings with men, he assumed I was cheating on him, rather than simply doing my job. I feel like an idiot now for it all. Life could have been so much simpler." I let out a long sigh and noticed Edward was frowning.

"Jacob's loss is my gain. I'm not sorry you were oblivious to his cheating, because if everything hadn't played out the way it did, who knows when, or if, I would have met you," Edward remarked casually as he sipped his coffee. Who says sweet stuff like that as just an off the cuff remark? "Do you still think you're afraid to be alone?"

Hmm… that was a tough question and I contemplated it seriously before I looked up from my plate to answer him honestly. "I'm not sure. I don't want it to be this way though. I consider myself fairly independent, but I can't really see myself being happy in the long run. Perhaps I just love self pity?"

Edward laughed at me lightly and smiled. "I wish you could see yourself the way I see you."

"Oh and how do you see me Edward?" I inquired as he stretched his arm out and took my hand in his.

"You're stronger than you realize Bella. You are also more self confident than you give yourself credit for. A shy timid girl, like you claim to be, would never have gotten into that hot tub naked last night. She also never would have dreamed of even considering some of the naughty things you did to me. You think you revel in self pity, but I think you just envy those around you and think you'll never be as happy." Edward let out a long breath and then stood from the table, grasping his plate in his hand, and headed towards the kitchen. I felt a little overwhelmed at his words, and wasn't sure if they were an accurate depiction of me or not. It was just something else I would need to consider if and when I got any privacy within the next eight days.

I didn't reply to his assessment, instead deciding to simply finish my breakfast and hand him the plate to clean up. Edward however, wasn't finished with his questions. "So, was the sex better with me or Jacob?" I snorted loudly at his question as the laughter poured from me easily. "It was a serious question Bella."

"No it wasn't, and you should know the answer already. I told you that Jacob wasn't exactly the best when it came to sex, and you… well you were just… perfect. I wasn't lying when I said I didn't know it could be this good. Past experience didn't exactly lead me to believe sex was something that could be so… um … liberating."

"Interesting term… liberating. Do you suddenly feel free now that we have made love?" he asked quizzically as I gazed up at him for a moment. I preferred that he didn't use the term sex to describe what had happened between us, because to me it was so much more.

"I just feel different. I'm not sure if free would be the best word to describe it though. I just feel very uninhibited around you, which is very new to me. I'd tell you to ask Alice, but so many questions would come from talking to her, I think we should just leave it at that." Edward just grinned at me and finished loading the dishes into the dishwasher.

"Let's go get ready for skating," he said happily as he left the kitchen and started up the stairs.

"You don't have any more questions?" I called out to him from the bottom of the stairs.

"Of course I do Bella, but let's just go one step at a time."

After my shower, I stood in the room and glared down at my luggage, wondering what the hell one deemed appropriate to wear ice skating. I hadn't been skating since I was ten and I was certain this was going to end badly. Perhaps there was a suit made of bubble pack somewhere in the cabin to keep me from getting injured. Not bloody likely, I thought to myself as I pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and slipped them on easily. I found my favorite hooded sweater draped over a chair in the corner and put it on, pulling the zipper up to the middle of my chest. My hair was already pulled back in a ponytail, and when I glanced in the mirror, I looked presentable at best.

I headed down to the living room to wait for Edward, but discovered he was already sitting on the couch waiting for me. He stood up and grabbed our coats from the closet, helping me put mine on with a big smile. As I reached behind my back and pulled the hood of my sweater up over the collar of my coat, Edward leaned in for a gentle kiss. "I promise you won't need to go to the emergency room."

We drove in comfortable silence for twenty minutes until we reached the Jackson Hole Ski Resort, which was home to the Crystal Springs Pond, which had been converted into an ice rink. It was actually picturesque, the kind of thing you would find on a postcard from Jackson Hole, I thought to myself as Edward helped me from the car and we walked towards the booth where we could rent skates.

"Seven," I replied casually to the clerk when she asked my size. She had been moving her eyes between Edward and me as she served us, no doubt wondering what a god like Edward was doing with me.

"Eleven," he said with a sigh as he pulled me closer, no doubt noticing her obvious interest in us. She didn't flirt with him though, which was what I had expected from the young blonde whose name tag read 'Charlotte'. I glanced down at her hand and saw a wedding band and immediately knew she had married too young. She couldn't have been more than twenty one. She was one person I was not envious of.

"Enjoy your time," she said politely as I grabbed Edward's hand in mine and we stepped towards a nearby bench to lace up our skates. Edward seemed pretty confident in his abilities as we tentatively made our way towards the rink. It wasn't as hard to walk towards the rink thanks to the inch or two of snow on the ground.

"When was the last time you skated?" asked Edward curiously as he stepped onto the ice and I held onto the boards for support.

"I dunno… ten or twelve years ago," I said with a sigh as I put one skate onto the ice and immediately slipped a bit. Edward reached out and grabbed my hands, holding them firmly in his and started to skate backwards on the ice, guiding me along in front of him, as I was bent forward like Quasimodo. He was an excellent teacher and we spent the first half hour with him showing me the ropes, which I appreciated to no end. I determined that I would need to find a way to show him my appreciation later in the day.

**EPOV**

Bella was definitely no Kristy Yamaguchi on the ice, but she listened as I spoke, and before she knew it, she was skating without my help around the rink. She looked as tentative as some of the smaller kids who were pushing themselves along with the help of a chair, but she was trying, and it was very appealing to me to see her step out of her element.

When my feet started to hurt from the skates, we decided to go and grab something quick to eat for dinner before heading home. At the base of the ski resort was a restaurant called the 'Mangy Moose' and after laughing at the name, Bella and I decided it was our best option and went in for some dinner. It was very much a family style restaurant and the atmosphere was extremely relaxed, which I appreciated. "Everything looks so good, I have no idea what I want," said Bella casually after she had already perused the menu for five minutes straight. We each ordered a beer and some appetizers as she stressed over her decision.

"Well, I'm having the wild grilled salmon with rice and roasted vegetables. We can share if you want," I suggested casually as she smiled happily at me.

"I was thinking about the rustic chicken pie, but the baked four cheese pasta looks so good."

"We can always come back another time Bella. Just pick one and next time you can have the other one," I said with a grin as she nodded her head. The waiter was over to our table a few minutes later and Bella ordered the chicken pie with a big grin on her face. "See, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Don't mock my decision making abilities Edward," she said with a fake frown on her face. "So, what do you want to do tonight? Movie, hot tub, a game of bridge perhaps?"

"We're not eighty Bella," I replied with a seductive grin as I laughed at her card playing suggestion. I had thoughts about what I wanted to do with her, but I wasn't going to share them over a beer in a crowded restaurant. I felt her foot slip up between my legs, rubbing my thigh slightly and I let out a small gasp. "I think we should play 'would you rather?' again tonight. I have a ton of questions to ask."

"Didn't you ask me enough questions earlier today?" she asked with a raised eye brow. I shook my head in disagreement.

"Those were about your previous relationship. I have different questions in mind for tonight," I declared as I licked my lips and suddenly felt her foot against my thigh again. "All your inhibitions are gone again Bella?"

I watched in excitement as she nodded her head at me slowly. "They're always gone when you're around Edward," she said sexily as she slid down in her bench a bit, and I found her foot rubbing my cock now.

"Okay, stop it before I have to take you to the car and have my way with you." She was such a tease, and she reveled in it. I was glad that I was the only one who got this type of reaction from her, but I also knew if she didn't hold back, we were both in trouble. The rest of our dinner went by incident free, for which I was thankful. I ordered us some cheesecake for dessert, but when I requested it to go, Bella immediately smiled. We drove in silence back to the cabin until I felt Bella's hand slip from mine and move to my jean covered hardness.

"So, these questions you want to ask tonight, what are they about?" I think she already knew the answer, but I played along with her as my hand covered hers and helped her rub gently on my cock.

"They are about things, like what you are doing right now?" I kept my eyes on the road, but peeked over for a moment and saw her blush. When we finally got back to the cabin, my first thought was to go upstairs and have an ice cold shower before things got way out of hand. Unfortunately for me, they were out of hand before I even locked the door behind me. I was about to start climbing the stairs to my room when I felt Bella's fingers slip into one of my belt loops and pull me down onto the stairs. I sat down for a moment and looked up at her; she was standing in front of me looking at me with a hunger in her eyes that I hadn't seen before. Before I had a chance to refuse, she was undoing my jeans and releasing my cock, stroking it with her hand.

"What the fuck?" I moaned out in confusion as Bella's mouth slid down on my hardness and I leaned back against the stairs to balance myself. I already knew she had a talented mouth, but after teasing me all day, I was disappointed in myself because I knew I wouldn't last long. She cupped my balls and massaged them firmly as her teeth grazed the underside of my length and her tongue expertly wrapped around me as she sucked furiously. I leaned back onto my elbows and then looked down, getting a beautiful view of her sweet pink lips wrapped around me. It only took me a few more minutes before I was ready to burst and Bella sensed it, and tightened her grip on me before I groaned out her name and came in her mouth, my cock buried deep in her throat.

Once she had licked every inch of me again and finally released her grip, she looked at me with a smug expression on her face. She was very pleased with herself, and I had to laugh at her. "That was unexpected," I said with a happy sigh as she stood from her knees and helped put my cock back inside my jeans.

"Consider that a thank you for helping teach me how to skate again," she replied with a laugh as she walked up the stairs, leaving me sitting breathlessly on the step, aching for her.

It was only about half an hour later that I found her down in the kitchen, in her tight yoga pants and 'Kings of Leon' t-shirt. I winked at her and watched as she made herself a cup of hot chocolate. "Want some?" she asked seductively.

"Do you mean you or the drink?" I walked up beside her and wrapped my arms around her waist, awaiting her response.

"Either or, but I thought we'd start with the drink." I nodded my head and hopped onto the counter to watch her make my drink. She was so domestic sometimes that it was a real turn on for me. I often had visions of coming home to her, clad only in an apron, making me dinner. Of course, I would always bend her over the counter and fuck her, but that was beside the point. I liked watching her move around the kitchen like she owned it. "When do you want to play the game?"

"Umm… right now?" I asked anxiously, already feeling myself straining against my boxer shorts. Bella handed me my drink and we walked into the living room and sat comfortably on the couch, facing each other. "I want to go first." Bella simply nodded and waited patiently for my first question.

"Would you rather have sex in an elevator or outside under the stars?" Bella's eyes lit up in curiosity as she thought for a moment.

"They both sound very appealing, because I am assuming you would be my partner, but I would say under the stars. It's more romantic." I nodded my head in agreement as she asked the next question.

"Would you rather see me in a French maid's uniform or a sexy nurse?" I coughed up hot chocolate for a moment as I let both potential images flood my mind. I them wanted both. Badly.

"Based on my newfound love of all things domestic, I would say the maid's uniform. Would you rather I licked your neck or your earlobe?" Bella didn't say anything this time, instead deciding to show me by pointing to her neck sweetly. I put my drink onto the coffee table and immediately leaned forward to lick her neck, sucking the skin gently before pulling away.

"Would you rather have sex on the stairs or in your parent's bed?" she asked with a nervous laugh. She already knew the thought of sex in my parent's bed was not appealing to me. I began to think that perhaps she just wanted me to ask all the questions.

"The stairs. I will _never, ever_ be able to forget the blow job on the stairs from an hour ago. Fuck that was hot. Bella… would you rather ask me questions or have me ask all the questions?" I whispered seductively into her ear as my hand ran the length of her arm.

"You ask," she replied breathlessly as I kissed her neck again.

"Bella, would you rather I kissed your lips or your breasts?" I asked as she moved her hand up to her breasts. Good answer, I thought to myself as I grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, revealing a sexy lace bra. I licked the top of each breast before asking my next question. "Would you rather I kissed your stomach or your nipples?" Bella didn't answer again, instead opting to unclasp her bra, which I determined meant that she wanted more attention to her nipples. I bent forward and kissed each hard nub gently before I ran my tongue all around them, massaging them with my hands. I watched in excitement as Bella threw her head back and moaned loudly from my touch.

"Would you rather do this here or upstairs on your bed?" I asked again as Bella hopped from the couch and grabbed my hand, practically pulling me up the stairs with her. I loved how eager she was to move forward with me, and I prayed that I would not disappoint. Right now, I had no idea what I would do if this girl left me.


	11. Early Christmas Present

**A/N: Look at that, two chapters in one night. What a wonderful way to start off your Monday morning right? **

**Anyways, review your little hearts out. It's still early here, so I think I might go work on 'American Girl'**

**I don't own twilight, but I do own 'Superbad' on DVD and was watching it earlier tonight.**

**BPOV**

The next few days went by in a haze. After our ice skating date and the second round of 'would you rather?' Edward moved all of his stuff into his old bedroom, which he had now taken to calling 'our room'. Every time he mentioned it, I blushed furiously and he just grinned at me in excitement. We spent more time talking about our lives back in Seattle and L.A. respectively, and he told me all the things he loved about Seattle and why he was desperate to move back. Part of me couldn't help but hope that I was one of things he was desperate for in Seattle, but we never discussed it. We quickly fell into a comfortable routine and things were moving along well, a little too well I sometimes, I thought, but those thoughts usually quickly vanished when Edward would say something sweet, or touch me gently. I lived for the little moments and gestures we shared, and I had to stop wondering when the other shoe would drop. On the nineteenth, we both realized that our time alone in the cabin was almost up and that even though we had discussed our relationship and work issues, there was still lots we hadn't done or talked about.

It was the middle of the afternoon and I was comfortably positioned between Edward's legs on the couch, my back nestled into his chest. We were listening to some classical music as I worked on the last manuscript I had left to read, and Edward was nearing the end of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. I had wanted to discuss what would happen when we walked back into the real world. After all, it was me who had initially suggested we just enjoy time in the cabin and worry about everything else later. I was hardly focused on the manuscript as I wondered whether he wanted to continue this, whatever it was, that was going on between us. I felt his hands running through my hair gently, twirling the ends with his finger and I was instantly distracted from my thoughts.

"I think I'll be a clown when I get grown up," laughed Edward as he read to me straight from the book. I knew exactly where he was in the novel and laughed casually along with him for a moment before I opened my mouth to speak. Edward beat me to the punch though. "So, since we have to head to Seattle in two days, I thought that tomorrow night we could have our own little Christmas celebration."

"That sounds fun. What did you have in mind?" I asked anxiously as I looked over at the mantel where we had hung up the stockings I had purchased at Target a week ago. Edward had thought they were really cute and even wrote our names on the small white felt cuff of them with a black sharpie.

"I could make us dinner and we could just hang out. Listen to Christmas music, make love by the fireplace… you know, the things couples do on Christmas." Edward shrugged his shoulders as I turned to look at him. He clearly had no idea what couples did on Christmas, but then again, I wasn't any better versed either.

"Perfect," I replied honestly as he went back to his book. I stared down at the manuscript and started to wonder about our Christmas together. Did he have a gift for me? Did I need to get one for him? Panic set in because there was so little time to get him something, especially something good, I was confused. I tried to shake the thought from my head and focus on the book in front of me. If I didn't get this thing reviewed, I would never be able to enjoy the rest of my Christmas break.

The next morning, Edward made a quick run to the grocery store to pick up everything he needed to prepare dinner. I was in charge of dessert and gave him a small list of items to get for me while I stayed home to do a bit of laundry and yoga. Edward had practically forbid me from doing any yoga in his presence, claiming it was a major distraction to his cock, so I managed to get it in a few times when he left the cabin or was taking a nap in our bed. When he came home, I watched intently as he prepared a roast with potatoes and carrots. He also made a salad and I was a little in awe of his abilities in the kitchen. He cooked for me constantly, but today just seemed different for some reason. I stood beside him at the counter as I prepared a raspberry upside down cake, which was my favorite recipe from Grandma Swan. Thankfully, I knew it by heart because I had made it so many times before.

"That smells awesome," said Edward as I pulled the cake from the oven and set it aside. He was busy setting the table so that we could sit beside each other, just like usual. Tonight we were back to the candles and soft music of a week ago though, so I knew Edward was feeling a bit romantic, which excited me to no end.

"Thanks babe," I replied as I pulled out the red wine he had purchased earlier and began to pour us each a glass. When we finally settled down to eat dinner, it was excellent. As he talked about the drive home to Seattle, which stupidly we had to do in separate cars, Edward was a bit animated.

"We should definitely leave together and you can follow me. If I pull over, you do too. You're not in a major hurry to get back to Forks are you?" he asked sweetly as he took a sip of his wine.

"Not really. I'd stay here with you for the holidays if I could. I'm not really looking forward to spending time with Charlie, especially since he's so fond of Jacob. I don't want to run into him either, but that will probably be inevitable," I replied with a sigh as Edward's hand moved to the back of my neck and rubbed gently.

"I'll be across town, so if he tries to start some shit, just call me," he suggested even though he probably knew it wasn't the best idea.

"Oh, and how will you explain that to the family? I'll be right back; I have to go help my sisters best friend who I've never met before out of a jam? Doesn't seem too logical, does it?" I asked with concern. I didn't want to hurt Alice by hiding what Edward and I have been to each other, but I didn't know how she would take it.

Edward practically threw his fork down on his plate in anger. "Is that how you think I see you? As just my sister's best friend?" he asked irately, his eyes practically burning with anger. I hadn't seen Edward this upset since the first few days we had together.

"I don't know how you see me," I admitted apologetically as I moved some carrots along my plate with my fork. I felt Edwards hands reach under my chin and turn me towards him.

"I see you like… my angel. I want to be with you, I really do. I'm going to talk to Alice over the holidays and try to get a sense of her potential reaction. I know you don't want to lose her, but I don't want to lose you." I leaned forward and gave him a sweet kiss on the lips.

"I don't want to lose you either," I replied as I bent my head down on his shoulder and we continued to finish our dinner. While Edward and I did the dishes together, I couldn't help but notice the big grin on his face the entire time. Each time I asked him, he simply admitted he was happy and never went into any sort of detail. It was only a little while later, as I was heading upstairs to grab a blanket for us to cuddle in, that I noticed a box under the tree, and it was wrapped in a red bow. _Fuck me_, he had gotten me a gift. That sneaky bastard.

I paced around the bedroom for a little while trying to think of something I could give him. I had no ideas, until Edward popped his head into the room a little while later. "Are you ready? I wanted you." I nodded my head and watched him slip from the room. He wanted me. I could just give him me for a gift, not that he wouldn't have gotten it anyways, but I could definitely make it more festive.

I searched through my luggage and pulled out the red and white bra and panty set that I had purchased at Target and slipped it on quickly. I also pulled out the Santa hat I had gotten and put that on top of my head, it looked a little cheesy, but he would quickly get the picture. I took in a deep breath and listened as the soft sounds of Joshua Radin filled the cabin. I slowly headed out into the hallway and looked down from the stairs into the living room, where Edward had a fire and candles lit around the room. He was sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace, staring into the flames as though he was thinking about something important.

I walked slowly down the stairs, but he never heard my nervous steps. As I came closer, he finally turned around to face me. "Merry Christmas," I said tentatively as his face grew into a wide smile.

"It is definitely a Merry Christmas," he replied as he grabbed my hands and pulled me onto his lap, the fireplace directly behind me. He kissed my lips gently before pulling away. "You look beautiful Bella."

"Well, I couldn't think of something to get you for Christmas, so you get me." Edward simply nodded his head and kissed my neck as his hands ran up my back slowly, causing goose bumps on my skin from his tough. "I love this song," I admitted as 'Lovely Tonight' came across the speakers.

"It's rather fitting isn't it?" asked Edward as he reached down under the tree and grabbed the box, holding it between us as we remained seated on the floor. "I got you something, obviously. I actually got it like a week ago, and if you hate it, I won't be mad. It's hard to find something suitable in such a small town."

"I'm sure I'll love it," I said nervously as I pulled the ribbon from the box, opening it slowly to reveal a beautiful watch.

"I noticed you didn't wear one, but thought that you might want one," said Edward slowly as I pulled it out of the box and looked at it carefully.

"It's beautiful," I said sincerely as I grasped his head in my hands and kissed him passionately. I put the watch back in its box and laid it on the coffee table directly behind Edward. "How about you open your gift?"

**EPOV**

It was probably wrong of me to think that offering herself to me was the best Christmas gift I had ever received. I had tons of awesome gifts over the years. My first Xbox was an awesome gift, but it was a joint gift for Emmett and I, and he was more of a gamer than me. The year my parents took us to Disneyworld for Christmas was one of the best too, but this definitely out did it. I only hoped the watch I gave her was enough to show how I felt about her. I was totally falling for this girl and would do anything to keep her in my life, hopefully for the rest of my life, and not as Alice's best friend.

"The wrapping is too nice to open the present," I said with a laugh as Bella blushed. I pulled the hat from her first of all, as I felt her fingers tugging on the hem of my shirt, trying to pull it off of me. I relaxed for a moment and let her remove my shirt. My hands moved slowly up her back to the clasp of her bra, which I was reluctant to remove because she looked absolutely delicious in it.

"Don't worry about the wrapping. I'm the gift that keeps on giving," replied Bella with a cute little snort as I grinned at her and slowly slipped her bra from her, revealing her soft breasts to me.

"How long do I get to play with my gift?" I asked seductively as my lips latched onto her neck and began sucking furiously. There would probably be a hickey there in the morning, but I didn't care. My hands gripped onto Bella's ass and I pulled her closer to me, her satin covered pussy rubbing against my hardness, which thankfully was only covered by my boxers.

"As long as you want," she whispered into my ear as she bit down on my ear lobe hard, causing me to gasp slightly. I slipped my hand between our bodies and found her panties were already soaked and clearly affecting me. I loved the affect I had on Bella and had thrived on it for the past few days. I was dreading tomorrow morning when we left to head back to Forks and was constantly thinking of ways I could sneak away to spend time with her. I slipped my finger under the edge of her panties and started to rub her clit gently as she moaned my name quietly and then leaned forward to suck on my neck tenderly. "Edward…" she moaned again, but it sounded like a question to me.

"What would you like sweetheart?" I asked curiously, although I wasn't even sure she was asking me something. It didn't matter to me though; I really did want to know what she wanted from me.

"I need you, so badly," she replied breathlessly as I gripped her around the waist and rolled her over so her back was on the floor, which I had the good sense to cover with a blanket before she came downstairs looking like sex personified. I ran my fingers along the waist band of her wet panties and pulled them from her swiftly, throwing them to the side to join her bra. I plunged my lips onto her nipples, massaging her breasts firmly as my hardness rubbed against her wet center. I was thankful for a moment that I was still wearing boxers, because I wasn't ready to be inside of her yet. I wanted to take my time with her.

I grabbed her thighs and spread her legs open to me before I bent forward and ran my tongue along the length of her slit, eliciting a loud moan from her sweet mouth. I licked every inch of her sweetness, savoring every drop of juice that Bella had to offer me. When she gripped the blanket and was practically digging her nails into the hardwood floor, I knew she was nearing her breaking point. I thrust two fingers into her, which elicited a 'fuck yes' from her lips and I fucked her with my fingers as my thumb worked forceful circles around her clit. She was screaming within minutes and panting eagerly from my touch.

"God, I love those fingers," she moaned as I leaned forward and kissed her furiously. Bella's hands immediately fell to my boxers where she began tugging them off awkwardly before finally letting me finish undressing myself. I reached into the front pocket of my now discarded t-shirt and pulled out the condom I had oh so thoughtfully brought with me from the bedroom. "No."

"No what?" I asked in confusion as Bella grabbed the foil packet from me and threw it in the fire.

"No condoms. We're both safe and I'm on the pill, so no. I want to feel all of you Edward. I don't know when we can do this again, so I want all of you." Bella was practically begging me, and I knew I could never disappoint her. I could never bear to see her sad or upset, so I kissed my way down from her lips to her belly button and gently grabbed her hips, sliding myself into her hot body. "Oh god yes," she groaned in pleasure as I watched her breathing slow from my movements.

I was gentle yet firm as I thrust myself in and out of her tenderly, moaning with each motion of my cock in her slick folds. She was so luscious and I wanted her always, but for an instant I realized I couldn't tell her that. We had only been together for ten days, and not even in a normal situation. This was far from normal, but I loved it. I couldn't have imagined meeting this beautiful girl in any other circumstance.

As our movements became quicker, I knew I was about to cum in her. Bella squealed in delight as my finger found her clit and rubbed feverishly, trying to get her to release with me, which she did only moments later. Her entire body tensed as she tightened every muscle, effectively squeezing my orgasm from me. I fell forward and lay beside her for a moment, our hands intertwined as we held them above us. The fireplace and Christmas tree glowed brightly in the room, and I felt complete.

"I wish we could stay longer," sighed Bella wistfully as I kissed her neck and then fell onto my back again.

"Me too," I replied genuinely.

"Do you think you can sneak out at night?" she asked calmly, as she ran her free hand along my stomach and through the tiny hairs that covered my chest.

"Where am I sneaking to?" I asked curiously as I rolled onto my side.

"My room. I have a big oak tree out front of the bedroom I stay in at my dad's. You can probably climb it fairly easily at night, and then we can have some more time together. I don't want to let you go yet before you have to go to L.A." Bella looked sad as she spoke these words and I immediately knew I would be climbing into her childhood bedroom in Forks the next night. I felt fifteen years old again.

"I'll be there every night you want me there," I admitted as my lips found hers and I grazed her bottom lip with my tongue. "We can text and phone each other too."I suggested as her eyes grew brighter. "When I'm back in L.A., it will probably only be for a month or so. We can talk on the phone all we want. You can text me and email me naughty photos if you want," I said with a wink and Bella simply laughed at my suggestion.

We stood up from the floor and began to turn off all the lights and blow out the candles, before we headed upstairs to our bed. I wrapped Bella up in my arms, holding her as close to me as possible as we started to fall asleep in each other's arms. We each had big grins on our faces, and I was desperate to make things work between her and I, even though she was reluctant because of Alice. Surely my sister wouldn't object to the happiness of her best friend and older brother, would she? I buried my head into Bella's hair and took a deep breath, reveling in her scent.

"I am so falling for you Bella Swan," I whispered into her ear as I kissed her goodnight.

"I am so falling for you Edward Cullen."

The next morning, I ran around the cabin cleaning things up as Bella made us some waffles for breakfast. She packed us each a bag of snacks and drinks for the road, which I found absolutely endearing. I loved that she was trying to take care of me. Just another reason why I was falling for her, hard. Once everything was packed and cleaned, I helped Bella bring her luggage out to the car before running back to get my own.

"Be safe on the road, they're calling for snow later," I warned her genuinely as she sat in the driver's seat of her car, the door still open for me.

"Don't worry. You'll only be a few feet in front of me, I'm sure I can handle the drive." Bella laughed and I handed her the keys to the house.

"You have to return these to Esme, since she had no idea I was here." Bella put them in the console of her car and smiled up at me. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too Edward, but you can call or text me anytime you want. Lets agree now to stop in Butte for lunch and we can decide when we get there where to eat." I nodded my head eagerly and kissed her hard on the lips, my tongue practically devouring her. Five hours till I was with her again was all I could focus on as I got into my car and headed down the driveway to the highway. This drive was going to suck.

**A/N: I am getting to some interesting plot points of the story which I am looking forward to, including the holidays in Forks and their separation while he's in L.A, and she's still in Seattle. I hope you all are enjoying the story as much as I enjoy writing it.**


	12. My Awkward Moment

**A/N: This chapter is a lot longer than I originally intended, but oh well. I'm sure none of you will be complaining. **

**My flight is booked for my move back to Toronto. So if you happen to be near the airport, please feel free to drop by around 6:30pm with flowers, candy, a double double from Tim Hortons and a 2-4 of Molson Canadian. Okay, that's only funny to my fellow Canadians, but that's okay.**

***I don't own twilight, but I do have some of the best readers and reviewers out there. Oh, and I have a shitload of baby clothes.**

**BPOV**

The drive between Jackson Hole and Butte was boring as hell. I kept my eyes on the road and the bumper of the Volvo directly in front of me, but I was alone, and it bothered me. We were traveling to the exact same place, but we had to do it separately, which frustrated me beyond belief. Most of the drive I flipped through songs on my iPod, which I discovered reminded me of Edward with each and every song. I also let my mind wonder about the possibilities between Edward and me. After everything though, there was only one thing I was certain of and that was that I didn't want him to go back to L.A. in a few days.

When we stopped in Butte, Edward picked a small restaurant for lunch and we sat in peace beside each other and bitched about the drive. It was only noon and we still had at least twelve hours to go. "Maybe we should stop somewhere overnight?" suggested Edward casually as he munched on a french fry from his plate. "I would hate for something to happen because we were so tired." I nodded my head in agreement and reached into my bag for my cell phone.

"Hi Dad, yeah, I'm on my way home but I will probably be there before lunch tomorrow. I'm tired and I'm gonna stop on the way home overnight."

"If you think that's best Bella," sighed Charlie as there was a sudden silence between us. "I spoke to Jacob."

"I don't want to talk about Jacob dad. I think I mentioned that when I told you we broke up because he cheated on me." I said forcefully.

"He's sorry about everything," said Charlie remorsefully as I looked up at Edward and snapped.

"Dad, if you insist on putting Jacob before me, I won't come home for Christmas." Edward patted me on the back of my hand and I heard my father groan under his breath.

"It's fine Bella. Come home for Christmas. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too Dad, I'll see you tomorrow." I closed my phone and Edward looked at me sympathetically. "Oh boy, I can't wait to get home," I lied sarcastically. Edward picked up his phone and dialed Alice.

"Hey Sis, I need you to pick Emmett up at the airport." I watched him nod his head in time to whatever she was saying. "Yeah, I'm driving to Forks. I needed a few days to clear my head, so I'm on the way, but I'm going to stop overnight. Em will be at Sea-Tac around eleven tomorrow morning." It was only a moment later that he shut his phone and smiled up at me.

"So, where are we sleeping tonight?" I said with a wink as he kissed my cheek.

"I don't care. I'm just glad I have one more night alone with you. Why don't we stop in Spokane? That's like five hours from here, so we can have dinner and get some sleep, leaving early the next morning." I nodded my head in agreement. After lunch, we got back into our respective cars and continued down the highway towards Spokane. It was just after five when we reached the city limits and noticed a Holiday Inn just off the highway. Edward booked us a standard room and we brought our luggage up before heading to dinner. The night was casual and we were both relieved we stopped because just after eight, we both fell asleep in bed.

Edward was up early the next morning. He had already showered and dressed before I had even moved. It was just before seven when he woke me up from my dreams of him and ushered me into the shower as he left to go grab us some breakfast. I showered quickly, desperate to spend some more time with him before being back in the confines of my car. We chatted amiably as we ate donuts and coffee on the bed in our hotel room before finally leaving a little before eight. We kissed passionately as we separated, not quite sure when we would see each other again.

"Text me tonight when I can come over, okay?" he said sweetly as he closed the car door for me after I got in. I simply nodded my head and kissed him again, before driving away. I looked in my rearview mirror and regretted having to leave him, even though I knew I would see him in twelve hours or so.

When I finally pulled into the snow covered driveway at Charlie's, it was just after one in the afternoon. I had hoped to be home sooner, but the roads were a bit slick through certain parts of the state. Charlie wasn't home when I arrived, obviously still on shift at the station, so I unlocked the house with the spare key under the mat and loaded my stuff into the house. Charlie had put up a sorry looking tree, which was scattered with the various ornaments I had made throughout my youth. I stared at it nervously and wished I was looking at the tree Edward had gotten for me in Jackson Hole. Before I lay down on the couch to wait for Charlie to get home, I sent Edward a quick text message.

_Got home Safe. Will Call Later -B_

I laid the phone down beside me on the couch and turned on the TV to catch up on some news on CNN. Everything was about the economy and how holiday spending had been reduced by most Americans. No wonder I felt asleep only ten minutes into it. When I awoke almost two hours later, I had a message waiting for me and Charlie was pulling into the driveway. I flipped open my phone and smiled happily at Edward's message.

_Glad to hear. I miss you. I'm home too. Waiting excitedly for your call.-E_

"Bells, are you here?" called Charlie as he walked in the door and hung up his coat and holster on the coat rack. I stood up and stretched my arms over my head and tentatively stood from the couch, heading towards the kitchen.

"Hey Dad," I responded as he pulled me into an awkward hug.

"How was the drive?" he asked hesitantly as he grabbed a beer from the fridge, offering me one before I quickly refused.

"It was okay. I'm glad I ended up spending the night in Spokane, I don't think I could have made it otherwise." Charlie didn't ask another question for the next little while. He ordered us some pizza for dinner, both of us knowing full well he couldn't cook to save his life. After dinner, he relaxed in the living room, catching up on something on ESPN and I moved to my bedroom to call Alice. I needed to hear a friendly voice.

"Hey Alice, how are things going?" I asked tentatively. I was nervous throughout our entire phone call, trying not to reveal any sort of information that Edward had revealed me during our time together.

"Well from the sounds of it, things here at the Cullen house are better than at the Swan house," she replied with a nervous laugh. "Things are alright. My brothers are home, so that's nice I suppose. They both seem a little anxious though."

"I'm sure they are just tired from travelling from California," I replied calmly. She never mentioned either Emmett or Edward for the rest of our conversation, choosing instead to talk about Jasper and all the things I missed in Seattle while I was away. After almost half an hour of chit chat, I finally decided to take a bath and then text Edward to come over. Surely Charlie would be heading to bed by nine at the latest. "Hey Alice, before I head to bed, let your mom know I will come over to drop off the keys to the cabin tomorrow."

"Cool. Come around noon and we can go for lunch in Port Angeles. I have to do a little bit more Christmas shopping. Are you up to it?" I reluctantly agreed and we hung up, with Alice eager for our day together tomorrow. After my bath I checked on my father, and sure enough he was snoring loudly in his room. I would need to remind him in the morning to visit his doctor. With snoring like that, it couldn't be healthy. I walked into my room and grabbed my phone, quickly typing Edward a message

_Fresh from a bath. Can u come over?- B_

I opened my luggage and slipped on one of the bra and panty sets I purchased at Target before tossing on a pair of Edward's boxer shorts I had stolen from him, and my Kings of Leon t-shirt. I grabbed a copy of 'Emma' from my bookshelf and lay on my bed, reading quietly until I heard from Edward. It was about thirty minutes later when he finally wrote back.

_Can't get free right now. Emmett knows. How late will you be up –E_

I was immediately disappointed, especially after being without him for so long. If we continued this, I would have a really hard time dealing with everything when he went back to L.A.

_When can you get free? I can wait up for you –B_

Before I went back to my book, I put my iPod on and began listening to it on random. I was two more chapters in when I finally heard back from Edward.

_Not looking good. I'll see you tomorrow when you come see Esme. Sweet Dreams –E_

I tossed the book onto my nightstand and turned off my light, as I tried to force myself to fall asleep. It was a restless night and when I finally stumbled from my bed, feeling like utter crap, I noticed it was only six thirty in the morning. Charlie was sitting at the kitchen table enjoying a cup of coffee and some oatmeal before heading to out for his shift.

"I'll be back from work in time for dinner. Billy invited us down to his place, but I turned him down, figuring that was a bad idea considering the current situation between you and Jacob," he said, trying to sound concerned for me. I simply nodded my head and poured myself a cup of coffee, sitting down beside him.

"I'm running over to Alice's today. I need to return Esme the key to the cabin and then Alice and I are heading to Port Angeles. I'm sure I'll be home for dinner. Want me to pick something up?" Charlie was trying to make a bit of an effort with me, however half-hearted it seemed.

"Sure Bells, you know what I like. Pick up whatever you want." It was only minutes later that Charlie stepped from the house and into the cold Forks morning. I headed upstairs and grabbed my book, returning to the couch in the living room to read a bit more and enjoy my coffee. At eleven, I stalked up the stairs, a little frustrated that I hadn't heard from Edward all morning. I got dressed in a pair of jeans and a light blue sweater, pulling my hair up into a ponytail. I didn't bother to do my makeup since I was spending the day with Alice, who I would look plain next too regardless of what I had done to my appearance.

As I pulled up the driveway of the Cullen house, I immediately felt nervous, which I had never felt before. I grabbed the key to the cabin from the console and headed up the stairs, to what was surely going to be an awkward encounter.

"Hi Bella," said the deep voice of a muscular curly haired man I had never met before. I automatically assumed it was Emmett, but couldn't say that aloud. "I'm Emmett," he said as he extended his hand and I shook it easily.

"Bella," Alice chirped as she practically ran down the stairs from her bedroom. Her cheeks were flush, but she looked excited to see me. Edward probably hadn't spoken to her yet, I thought to myself as Esme walked in from the kitchen, pulling me into a gentle motherly hug.

"Bella, how was the trip?" she asked curiously as I followed her towards the kitchen.

"It was lovely Esme, thank you very much for loaning me the cabin for a few days," I replied genuinely as Emmett coughed in the background and I handed her back the keys. "Are you alright Emmett?" I asked as I glared angrily at him. He said nothing, choosing instead to walk from the room and steer clear of me altogether.

"I'm glad you could enjoy it sweetie. We rarely get to enjoy it as much as we should." Esme was working in the kitchen, making a batch of peanut butter cookies for the family. The entire scene made me envious of the Cullen's yet again. They had such a close and loving relationship, I wished that Charlie and I could have something even relatively normal.

"So, we're heading into Port Angeles. We should be home in time for dinner though. Bella do you want to come over for dinner?" asked Alice as she grabbed her purse from the counter and wrapped her arm in mine. I looked around the main floor again, but there was no sign of Edward. I felt a little heartsick, because he had promised to be here, and he wasn't.

"Thanks for the offer Ali, but Charlie and I have dinner plans." She nodded in acknowledgement of my words, but then Esme spoke up, and surprised the hell out of me.

"You know Bella, if it's just you and Charlie for the holidays; you are more than welcome to come spend Christmas Day with us. Lord knows I always make more than enough food, and Charlie and Carlisle are practically friends now thanks to their involvement in the police auction. It would be nice if you could join us." I heard Emmett laughing from the living room once she finished speaking, but I didn't find it all that funny.

"I'll mention it to Charlie tonight and I will let you know tomorrow. Thank you for the invitation Esme."

"It's a shame you couldn't meet Alice's other brother Edward. He had to run into Seattle early this morning. If you come on Christmas though, you'll finally meet the entire family." I nodded my head at her as Alice led us from the kitchen and I glanced down at Emmett on the living room couch, still laughing at the situation between Edward and me.

**EPOV**

When I finally stepped into the house after almost a year of being away, I felt comfortable, almost at peace again. I hadn't felt this relaxed since I left the cabin and Bella. The final leg of the drive had been tiresome and I was actually glad to get out of the car and into the prying eyes of my family. Emmett and Alice hadn't yet arrived, so I got to spend a little bit of quality time with Esme.

"You're looking well Edward. L.A. agrees with you," she said sweetly as I laughed in my head. If she only knew. Emmett and I had agreed not to tell her about the move until Christmas day, so I kept my mouth shut and smiled happily at her. "Your dad had been worried about you after your last visit, but I'm sure he will be relieved to see you now."

"Thanks mom. What's going on here these days?" She talked nonstop for the next thirty minutes as she whipped up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, with me testing them out only moments after they came from the oven. Esme explained to me about Bella borrowing the cabin, and I just nodded my head, as though it wasn't important. My mother really didn't need to know how significant that cabin had been to both Bella and me.

Alice and Emmett strolled in just after three, talking casually about the benefits of living in Seattle versus L.A. Alice was clearly not abreast of the move either, which surprised me that Emmett had managed to keep his mouth shut. When Emmett brought his bags up to his old room, he cornered me on the stairs.

"Up to your room, now." I simply nodded and let him lead the way. I sat down on my old bed as Emmett took a seat on my couch, his eyes glaring at me in frustration. "You're different."

"How am I different?" I stammered nervously.

"You are sleeping with her, aren't you?" asked Emmett. Apparently I really did look different, because he was the second person in an hour to notice a change.

"No, I am not sleeping with Bella," I said in a low whisper, not sure where everyone was in the house. Emmett stood from the couch and closed the door so we could talk more freely.

"Stop lying to me. Is she the reason you want to move to Seattle?"

"No, she's not the reason. I had been thinking about moving back for a while and talking to her at the cabin, just helped me to realize that this was something I needed to do, for me." I was running my hands through my hair nervously, which Emmett noticed.

"I don't care what you do with the girl, but if she's made you happier and shit, then I'm happy for you."

"Please don't say anything, to anyone. Please." I was practically begging him not to out Bella and I, and it felt awkward. Once again, like I was a fifteen year old kid trying to hide his first girlfriend. "Yeah, we're spending time together, and I really like her. She's nervous about Alice's reaction, so we're keeping it under the radar until we can talk to her. Please Emmett, keep it quiet."

"Sure thing man, just play it safe. Okay?" I nodded my head and he walked from my room with a smug grin on his face. I felt a little relaxed having someone else know our secret, but nervous that it would be revealed before we had a chance to talk to Alice. She was the catalyst of all this. Bella loved Alice too much to ruin their friendship, but if Alice didn't approve, I wasn't sure I could stop my feelings for Bella.

Bella and I had exchanged some messages earlier in the day to let each other know we were home safe, but it wasn't until later in the evening when I started to miss her terribly. She sent me a quick text message around nine and I immediately gasped from the images that it caused.

_Fresh from a bath. Can u come over?- B_

Unfortunately at that moment, Alice had strong-armed Emmett and me into a game of Monopoly, which seemed to last forever. When I excused myself to use the bathroom, I replied to Bella's message.

_Can't get free right now. Emmett knows. How late will you be up –E_

Before I even had a chance to leave the bathroom, she had texted me again. I looked down at the phone eagerly and smiled.

_When can you get free? I can wait up for you –B_

She wanted to wait for me, and I wanted to go to her so badly. I didn't respond to her text right away. I headed down into the family room and tried to get out of the game anyway I could. I pretended to be sick and then tired, but Alice could see through me. We continued playing and I finally snuck into the kitchen almost half an hour later to respond her. I prayed I wasn't disappointing her too terribly by canceling.

_Not looking good. I'll see you tomorrow when you come see Esme. Sweet Dreams –E_

When the game was finally finished, Alice had won, and it was almost two in the morning. I was pissed I had missed time with Bella, even though I had technically enjoyed my evening with the family. I dragged myself up to bed, frustrated at myself for losing time with her, when pretty soon I wouldn't see her for an entire month.

"Edward, someone named Jack Denis called this morning, wanting you to call him back as soon as you can," said Emmett with nervous smile. I glanced at the clock and it was seven o'clock in the morning. It didn't surprise me that we were up at the normal time, but I had been hoping for more sleep. Emmett had checked our messages at the office and that was the most pressing one. I had called Jack from Jackson Hole and asked him to look into commercial property in Seattle for the new location for Cullen Advertising. I grabbed my cell phone and called him back, eager to hear what he had to say. He had found several properties available, but his wife had surprised him with a Hawaiian vacation for Christmas, so today was the best day to visit the sites. I agreed to meet him at noon at his office.

Emmett, of course, opted not to come. He was never interested in these details for the company, but it was fine with me. Emmett would love whatever space I chose. As I barreled down the highway towards the city, I realized I was missing out on seeing Bella at the house this morning. Alice had told me about their plans to go shopping in Port Angeles last night, and I was immediately envious of her for getting to spend quality time with my girl. I reached down for my cell phone, wanting to give Bella a quick call, but I noticed it was dead. I threw it against the passenger side door in frustration.

When I got to Jack's office, I realized I couldn't call Bella again because Alice would surely be with her. On a positive note, the properties Jack ended up showing me had a lot of potential. There was one down near the heart of the city in a large skyscraper that I was particularly fond of. It was over six thousand square feet and had a conference room and two large corner offices, which would be perfect for Emmett and me. When we left the building, I felt confident that this was going to be our new office, but advised Jack I would talk it over with Emmett and let him know when he got back from his vacation. Perhaps this move to Seattle would be easier than I thought.

"Dude, you missed her," whispered Emmett when I finally walked in the door just after seven. Alice had returned from shopping with Bella only an hour earlier, according to Em. "She didn't look happy dude. What did you do?"

"I never told her I had to run out today, I was supposed to be here to see her this morning, and I we had planned for me to see her last night, so pick one of the screw ups and amuse yourself," I said angrily as I headed up the stairs to find my cell phone charger in my luggage.

When I came back down, Esme was in the kitchen cleaning up from dinner and handed me a plate of meatloaf, potatoes and carrots that she had saved for me. "Thanks," I replied as I took a seat at the kitchen counter and eagerly ate the food she had prepared.

"I want both of you on your best behavior on Christmas," sighed Esme as she put the last plate in the dishwasher and wiped off her hands.

"When have we ever not been well behaved?" laughed Emmett as he walked over to our mom and gave her a big bear hug.

"Charlie Swan and his daughter Bella have agreed to join us for dinner," she started to say as I spit a carrot across the room and onto the floor. Emmett patted me on the back and continued to laugh at my misery. "Don't spit food ; that would be a good start when they get here. Chief Swan and your dad work together on a charity for the local police force, and you both know that Alice and Bella have been best friends for about six years, so just make them feel comfortable."

"I'm sure you know how to make Bella feel very comfortable," whispered Emmett into my ear as he ran from the room laughing. The moment I finished eating, I rinsed off my plate and shoved it in the dishwasher. I ran upstairs and pulled out my laptop, googling the home address for Charlie Swan and scribbled it down on a piece of paper I had ripped from a magazine. I grabbed my coat and was running down the stairs, only to be caught by Emmett again.

"Where are you off to Romeo?" he asked with a smirk.

"Exactly where you think I'm going, so cover for me. If anyone asks, just tell them I went for a drive or something." Emmett nodded his head and I continued my sprint down to my car. It was only fifteen minutes later that I found myself in the Volvo outside of Bella's house. There was a light on in the front bedroom, and since I could tell the walls were yellow, I assumed it had to be her room. I looked down at the clock and it was almost ten. The rest of the house looked deserted, so I parked my car down the road a bit and walked back to her house, staring at the large Oak tree the entire time.

Bella had been right, with the proper movements; one could easily access her bedroom window with the tree. Unfortunately, I didn't think I had the ability to do it. I hooked my foot up on some of the bark and grasped a decent sized branch in my hands. I was practically doing a pull up on the sturdy branch to get myself up into the tree. It was strenuous climbing the tree, and if I came over again, I was definitely texting her first and making Bella open the door for me. As romantic as this may seem, my thighs were definitely going to hurt in the morning. I caught a glimpse of Bella in the window, and she looked as beautiful as ever. Curled up in her bed, reading a book with her cell phone on the bed right beside her. She was waiting for me to call her, except I couldn't because my phone was still at home charging.

I grabbed a small twig from one of the branches and threw it heavily against her window, trying to get her attention. After two more tries, she finally looked up from her book and saw me sitting there on the branch, desperate for her to open the window. I was shivering like crazy now, wishing I had thought this out a bit more. She climbed from her bed and I noticed she was wearing my boxers. She looked adorable in my clothes, I thought to myself as she unlocked the window and opened it up to me. When I finally stepped onto the floor of her room, she looked at me in frustration and climbed back into her bed, reaching for her book.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked anxiously as I slipped off my wet shoes and double checked that her bedroom door was locked.

"Why on earth would I be mad at you?" she snapped sarcastically. "Could it be because you were supposed to come over last night, or maybe because I was supposed to see you this morning? Maybe it's because you didn't answer any of my seven text messages or four phone calls? Yeah, I think that one's the winner." Bella bent her head down and went back to reading her book, although I could tell she wasn't actually reading.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't get out of the house last night. Alice would barely let us take a piss break, let alone leave for the evening. As for today, I went to see some properties in Seattle for the new office. My real estate agent, Jack, is leaving for Hawaii in the morning and it was the only time I could go," I said anxiously. I wasn't sure if Bella would believe a word I was saying, but I prayed she would. I didn't really want to revisit the bitchy Bella I had met my first few days in Jackson Hole.

"As for the messages, my phone died this morning and I didn't have my charger with me. It's currently charging at home, so if you message me tomorrow, I'll definitely get it," I replied with a smile, that Bella clearly didn't find endearing. "Am I forgiven?" I asked as I watched her put her book down on her nightstand. She nodded her head slowly and I slipped my jacket off and crawled onto the bed beside her.

"I'm sorry I was mad," she explained as I kissed her cheek softly. She repositioned herself on the bed until her head was resting on my chest and my arms were around her.

"I'm sorry I was out of touch. If you think the chief won't wake up, I can make it up to you," I said with a smirk as I ran my finger down her arm slowly and took her hand in mine.

"Sorry babe. No sex in my dad's house. He's got a loaded gun and I like you too much." _Damned logic._

**A/N: Whose excited for Christmas Day with the Cullen Family? Christmas is my second favorite holiday, after my birthday. What's your favorite holiday?**


	13. Meddling Mothers

**A/N: Welcome to Christmas Dinner at the Cullen House. Please leave your gifts under the tree, and put any liquor in my room. I could use it.**

**Just for the record, everyone seems to love Christmas and their own birthday most of all. My husband is Jewish, so we celebrate Chrismakkuah (O.C. Reference) and I tried to make him celebrate Christmas for eight days, but he wouldn't go for it. I bet Edward would.**

**Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys the chapter. I loved writing Esme in this chappie! Oh, and I have a fic rec… I just started reading "Mr. Horrible" by algonquinrt, and it is hilarious. Very OOC, but funny as hell in my opinion.**

**BPOV**

The next day wasn't as awkward as I expected. Edward left the house just after my father did, after assuring me his car was not parked out front, where my dad could see it. We chatted via text all day as he helped out at home with some last minute preparations for Christmas. I was both excited and nervous to head over to his family's place the next day, so while I was at home all day, I let my mind wander about all the different possibilities. Would Emmett reveal us to his family? Would Alice or anyone else be able to notice the connection between Edward and me even though we had agreed to keep our distance as much as possible? I had no idea what to expect.

I spent part of the afternoon sorting through my luggage for something appropriate to wear before I gave up and called Alice. "Hey Girl, what's up?" she asked inquisitively as she answered the phone.

"I'm stumped Ali. What should I wear to dinner tomorrow? I didn't bring anything even remotely fancy." I listened anxiously as she laughed at me for a moment.

"You're not going to tea with the Queen Bella. You can wear jeans and a sweater. We're like any other family on Christmas." I let out a sigh of relief as Alice kept talking about random stuff. My interest was piqued when she spoke of Edward though. "So, I think my brother's have some big news to share. I bet Edward or Emmett is engaged or something." I coughed loudly, almost choking from her assumptions.

"What makes you think that Ali?" I asked, playing the supportive friend role, even though I was lying to her.

"They're just being very secretive. Always whispering about something and they both seem so happy, I can't imagine what else it could be." Alice didn't seem happy about this change of events; even though I knew it wasn't true. I offered some moral support and a few random ideas for their possible attitude change, but I wasn't supposed to know her brothers, so I tried to give general information as opposed to anything specific.

"Just wait and see what happens. You shouldn't jump to conclusions, because you'll spend most of your time stressing yourself out." Alice agreed with me thankfully, and we talked a little more about what Christmas at the Cullen's entailed, before she had to go help her mother make stuffing. Edward wasn't able to get free that night, but I hadn't expected him to since it was Christmas Eve. Charlie and I had a casual evening together, I made chicken with vegetables and rice for dinner, and he seemed pleased to enjoy home cooking for once. When we finally settled into the living room together, he started with all the questions.

"Billy was disappointed we never made it out the other night," said Charlie with a reluctant sigh.

"Dad, you know I don't want to talk about this. You and Billy are great friends, Jacob and I are not. Nor will we ever be. I'm over what he did to me, but I don't need a constant reminder from my own father," I replied in frustration as I picked up my book from the table and started to flip through it.

"I know Bells, I'm sorry. We just always thought you and Jake were meant for each other. Most people in town did." I know my father had the best of intentions, but I was getting really tired of each one of our conversations revolving around Jacob.

"Well, apparently Jacob had everyone snowed, not just me. He cheated on me dad, in my own apartment, on my couch. I am not just going to overlook that." Charlie nodded his head in agreement at me and seemed to put the topic to rest. "At dinner tomorrow night, I don't want to discuss him. The Cullens' already know what happened, but I don't want to even mention it again. It's in the past."

I was relieved when Charlie just nodded again and we stopped discussing it. He kept his eyes trained on the Discovery Channel as I read my book and answered the random texts that Edward sent me. He was bored at home; he missed me and hated being apart. I hadn't even noticed I was smiling as happily as I was until Charlie caught me.

"Who are you talking to Bella?"

"Alice. She's just telling me some of the funny stuff that happened while I was away," I lied. I excused myself to head to bed shortly after this incident. I didn't want to call further attention to my happiness, because Charlie was fairly perceptive. I guess that's just a fact of life with a job in the police force though.

The next morning, Charlie and I exchanged the few gifts we had gotten each other and enjoyed a quick brunch before going our separate ways to get ready for the Cullen's. I dressed in some comfortable jeans and a dark blue sweater that Edward had mentioned he thought looked good on me. If I couldn't spend time with him the way I wanted, at least I would know he was watching me. Charlie was just as casual as I was in jeans and a black button down shirt, but he looked good. "You clean up well old man," I laughed as he handed me his coat and we stepped out into the frigid Christmas Day air. We headed to their house in Charlie's cruiser. He wanted it available at a moment's notice in case of an emergency and I laughed at him because nothing exciting ever happened in Forks.

When we arrived, I knocked anxiously on the door and Alice was the first to greet us, throwing her arms around me immediately and wishing us both a Merry Christmas. The house looked even more festive than when I visited only a few days ago. Apparently Esme really had kept them all busy decorating every surface of the house in miscellaneous Christmas paraphernalia. I had to take a peek at her Christmas tree, which was in the corner of the living room, looking as majestic as ever.

"Charlie, Bella. It's wonderful you could join us," said Esme happily as she walked over and gave us tentative hugs, her hands in oven mitts and a big spoon clutched in one. I'm working on dinner still. We will probably eat around four. The boys are watching football in the living room if you care to join them." Charlie nodded his head eagerly and thanked her for inviting us. Alice however grabbed my hand and went to pull me upstairs with her.

"You should come hang out with us Bella. Don't you think you talked to Alice enough last night?" said Charlie innocently as Alice looked at me in confusion.

"We'll be right back Chief Swan," remarked Alice as she pulled me up the stairs and into her old childhood bedroom.

"We talked last night?" said Alice with a laugh. "I know I had some egg nog, but I didn't think I drank that much."

"No, we didn't talk. I lied to Charlie to get him to leave me alone. So don't worry about it," I said trying to sound as casual as possible. Alice still looked at me a little puzzled, but seemed to let it go.

"So, I found out what the hell was going on with my brothers," she said sounding slightly excited, but also a bit annoyed. "They're moving back to Seattle, both of them."

"That's good news, isn't it?" I asked curiously. Hell, I thought it was marvelous news.

"Yeah, my parents were ecstatic about it all. They're opening a second office here too, so they're settling down in the area. Emmett was funny about it all. He said he could never find a girl to make babies with down in L.A. My mother laughed happily of course, desperate for one of us kids to settle down." I laughed genuinely at her as she continued to talk about everything. "I just have this feeling that when they move here, things will change."

"Maybe the change will be for the better?" I offered sweetly, as Alice shrugged her shoulders.

"You got a watch?" she asked in surprise as she grabbed my wrist and looked down at the gift from Edward. "I thought you considered a watch pointless because you always flipped your phone open to check the time?" Shit, that was true. I had said that, but Edward didn't know that did he.

"I saw it at a store in Jackson Hole and it just called to me. I think I'm changing my opinion on a lot of things," I replied honestly as Alice opened her mouth to say something, and then shut it again. I finally was able to step away from Alice only moments later when Esme called up to her for some help. I offered, but she had refused. I wandered around Alice's room for a moment, recalling happier moments from our senior year of high school when I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Merry Christmas Baby," said Edward with a sigh as he walked into the room and locked the door behind him. "Fuck, I've missed you like crazy."

"Watch your mouth Edward," I said with a laugh as he pulled me to him for a kiss. "You should be on your best behavior."

"Thanks mom. Were you listening when she gave Emmett and me a lecture the other day?" he asked with a sincere smile across his face.

"Of course not. Since no one knows we're missing, why don't you show me your room?" I asked seductively as he squeezed my hand in his before unlocking the door and leading me up to the third floor. I entered his room somewhat nervously; after all, this had been his sanctuary growing up. I was also nervous to be caught by anyone in the house. "This is nice," I commented casually as I ran my hands over the shelving on the far wall covered in CD's.

"Thanks, I guess. I've never had a girl other than Alice or my mom in here," he said casually as I blushed.

"Do you think we have time for a quickie?" I asked with a laugh as Edward pulled me down onto the bed with him.

"You know I can never do anything with you 'quickly'" joked Edward as I felt him hovering above me, his lips only an inch from my face.

"Can you at least kiss me so I have something to think about over dinner?" I was practically begging. I was anxious for dinner, but knowing how much he wanted me would make things easier. I felt his hand reach behind the back of my head and he pulled me up to meet his lips, crashing them together passionately. I moaned involuntarily as I felt his other hand move up the side of my body, god I wanted him. I was about to tell him to have his way with me, family and time be damned, when we heard a knock on the door. We both immediately tensed.

"It's Emmett." Thank god, I whispered to myself as Edward stood from the bed and went to answer the door, as I straightened up my shirt and sat up on the edge of the bed. "So Mom was asking for you, and I said you were upstairs for a moment. I wouldn't make these little meetings too often today, people will get suspicious," laughed Emmett as he glanced over at me and gave me a sweet little wave.

"We know Em. I'm actually going to discuss this situation at dinner tonight. I have a feeling I know why Alice isn't too keen on us dating her friends." I looked up at Edward and was surprised by his comments.

"We're discussing this tonight? Over Christmas dinner?" I stammered nervously as I jumped from the bed.

"It's not like I'm telling everyone how I feel about you Bella. I'm putting out feelers on Alice, you'll see. I promise, you have nothing to worry about." He sounded so calm, but I was petrified. I thanked Emmett for letting us know we were missed and I headed into the bathroom on the second floor, searching through the medicine cabinet for some Tylenol. I suddenly had a headache.

**EPOV**

I headed down into the kitchen, sad at having to leave Bella, but eager to get to the dinner table. "Where have you been " asked Esme as I wandered into the kitchen and watched as she cut up some potatoes.

"I was upstairs for a moment," I admitted casually.

"You should go introduce yourself to Chief Swan and Bella. They're in the living room watching the game," prodded Esme with a grin. She was a little too happy about all this, and I had no idea why. Suddenly Bella walked into the kitchen, clutching a bottle of Tylenol.

"Can I get a glass of water?" she asked curiously as she popped open the container and I quickly fetched the drink for her. I didn't know she was feeling sick. I suddenly felt horrible for trying to steal second base upstairs.

"Bella, this is Edward, Alice's older brother," said Esme politely as she suddenly pushed me towards Bella with a broad smile. Holy shit, my mother was trying to hook me up with Bella. "Edward's moving back to Seattle in a few weeks. Isn't that interesting?" Bella laughed happily and nodded her head as she popped the pills into her mouth and swallowed them easily.

"That's wonderful Esme. You must be so happy to have Edward back into the family fold," she said with a wink in my direction. She knew what Esme was up to as well, and I laughed heartily as I listened to my mother talk about me as though I was People's Most Eligible Bachelor.

"So Bella, what is it that you do?" I asked curiously, playing right into my mother's hands. No wonder she had insisted on inviting Bella and Charlie to dinner. She wanted me to make a good impression, she wanted me with Bella.

"I'm currently a book editor. I am looking into doing my own writing in the near future. I was recently away in Jackson Hole for a few days and managed to start a few chapters of a potential novel. I'm pretty excited about it." Bella smiled enthusiastically at me as Esme started to tell her about Cullen Advertising and how we were relocating to Seattle. Apparently I wasn't allowed to talk for myself as my mother tried to force me to date my … girlfriend. I laughed at the situation as Alice walked into the kitchen to join us.

"What's so funny?" she asked as she watched us all talking easily.

"Nothing, Bella here was just telling us about her job," I replied nervously as Alice glanced between Bella and me. "Mom here just introduced us." Alice shrugged her shoulders and headed back into the living room.

"Well it was nice to meet you Edward," said Bella casually as she extended her hand for me to shake it. I gripped it eagerly, running one finger along the inside of her palm before she turned back to my mother. "If you need anything Esme, I'll be glad to help. I'll be in the living room with the rest of the family." I watched as she walked away, which was probably my second mistake of the night, after being caught in my room by Emmett.

"She's a sweet girl Edward. You should have Alice give you here number when you move back. You could do a lot worse than Bella," said Esme with a small chuckle as she pulled out a can of peas from the cupboard and laid them on the counter.

"Mother, are you trying to hook me up with Bella?" I asked nervously as she looked up at me and blushed. "You know how Alice feels about us dating her friends."

"So what if I am? I'm allowed to look out for your best interest's right? Alice needs to calm down with her rules." I nodded my head and laughed happily as I wandered towards the living room. I sat down in one of the armchairs on the far side of the room after introducing myself to Bella's father. He didn't seem to care too much though. There was some sort of bowl game on and he was enthralled with that, just like Emmett.

It was only an hour later that Esme called Alice and I into the kitchen to help her. I got the lovely task of setting the table and Bella was gracious enough to help me. "I think my mom is trying to get us to go out," I whispered to her as she nodded her head. She never got a chance to reply as Alice walked into the room with a handful of napkins for us to add to the place settings. Once everyone had seated, with me right beside Bella, no surprise there, Carlisle said a quick grace and we ate happily for a few moments until I decided to break the tension. This was mistake number three for the evening.

"Alice, how's Rosalie doing?" I asked curiously as Emmett suddenly started to choke on a piece of turkey.

"She's fine Edward," replied Alice as she glared at me, followed by Bella who looked confused. I snuck my hand down beside me, rubbing against Bella's thigh for a moment, trying to be calm.

"You're still friends with her? I thought you decided not to after Emmett broke up with her?" I asked a little hesitant this time.

"Dude, you know I didn't break up with her, she dumped me when I said I was going to USC. She wanted me to go out east with her, and I didn't." Emmett looked at me and was furious, even though he knew I was bringing this up to find out Alice's feelings about me dating Bella.

"Yes, Rosalie and I are still friends. She lives back in Seattle now. She got a job over at Boeing in their engineering department." Emmett's eyes lit up with this news, which was new to me as well. I knew he still harbored feelings for Rosalie, but suddenly a saw a light go off in his eyes which meant he was up to something.

"Edward, this isn't exactly proper dinner conversation," sighed Carlisle as he grabbed the gravy and poured some on his potatoes.

"I'm just trying to figure out why Alice is so against us dating her friends. Mom doesn't think it's a bad idea," I said with a wink at my mother, who blushed furiously. "Did Emmett really spoil it for the rest of us?" I asked again as Alice glared at me.

"Rosalie was the tip of the iceberg. It took me four years to get her to talk to me again after you guys split up. Then top that off with Tanya and Charlotte, and it's a wonder I have any friends at all. None of my friends ever want to be around me once you break up with them, and I wonder why?" snapped Alice sarcastically.

"I was just curious Alice, and anyways, all those were Emmett's girlfriends, not mine." I replied uneasily. This was going to be harder than I thought. Even Esme looked frustrated at Alice. So much for her plan to get me and Bella out on a date.

"Why do you even care Edward? When you move back, you'll hardly have time for any of us let alone a girlfriend. You'll be too busy moving back, setting up the business, hiring employees, finding new clients and all that mess. Why don't you worry about your life, and not about sleeping around with my girlfriends," she snapped angrily at me. I looked over at Bella and she was clearly uncomfortable with the conversation, but I was determined to find out why Alice was being so stringent about this, there had to be some underlying reason other than the fact that Emmett and Rosalie broke up. Part of me didn't want to care about Alice's rules because I felt so strongly for Bella. Alice would come around eventually, wouldn't she?

"You know, Renee was the sister of my best friend," commented Charlie. It was his first comment of the night other than some mundane things about football that he had discussed with Emmett and Carlisle earlier. "What? It's true. After we divorced though, her brother and I remained the best of friends. There was never any ill will. If people are meant to be together, they will be, regardless of the circumstances or rules." Bella looked over at her father with a sincere smile. Perhaps he was more perceptive than I gave him credit for. Then again, after all I had heard about him, he was probably thinking about Bella and Jacob.

The conversation regarding dating friends ended shortly after that, but it didn't escape me that Emmett had corned Alice once dinner was over to ask about Rosalie. He probably wanted to get back in touch with her since they were both going to be living in Seattle soon. I helped Esme clear off the table as Bella joined Carlisle for a tour of his library, where she would no doubt gush over thousands of books on his shelf and drool at each one. It wasn't long after that Charlie and Bella headed home for the evening, after I had caught her upstairs coming out of the bathroom. I pushed her back in for a quick kiss, locking the door behind us.

"Can I come over tonight?" I asked excitedly.

"Sure. Can you give us like an hour? Charlie usually falls into a tryptophan coma after eating turkey, so I'm sure he'll be asleep soon," replied Bella happily as she kissed me again, this time a little more forcefully.

"Can we go for a drive?" I wanted her so badly; the past few days had been hell not being able to touch her as much as I had been accustomed to in Wyoming. I didn't think the car was the best place to have sex, but she refused to do it in her father's house, so I had to make some adjustments to my plan.

"Sure sweetie," she answered as she ran her hand down my thigh and over my erection. "One hour." Bella strolled from the bathroom and I slipped out the second door which led into my bedroom, completely undetected and rather proud of myself.

When I finally pulled up in front of Bella's house an hour later, there was a third car in the driveway which I didn't recognize. The only light on in the house was in the kitchen, so I texted Bella to let her know I had arrived. I didn't see any movement in the house, which concerned me for a moment, until I saw Bella walk out the house, her hands raised angrily and a tall thin guy arguing with her. My immediate instinct was to get out of the car and interrupt whatever was going on, but as I my hand gripped the door handle, Bella ran across the yard and pulled open the door. She hopped in the car breathlessly and I sped away while she was still fastening her seat belt.

"Are you okay?" I asked, the anger finally subsiding in my chest. Bella just shook her head in frustration before starting to cry a bit. I pulled over onto a side road and hugged her, holding her close to my chest. "Who were you arguing with?"

"Jacob."


	14. The Shock of My Life

**A/N: I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. I know, we all hate Jacob in this story, and Charlie is simply misguided. Not everything is what it seems.**

**I hope this chapter answers a lot of the questions you guys have had about Alice and her 'issues'. I'm not sure if you will all hate me or love me when you get to the end. Just so you all know, Edward and Bella won't get busted until he gets back from L.A. so there's a few chapters and a lot of drama in between then. If you all liked the last cliffie, you'd hate me this time!**

**Thanks for all the awesome reviews! I love each and every one of you! I promise there will be more Jasper, Alice, Rosalie and Emmett in the upcoming chapters.**

**I don't own twilight, I do own a horrible photo of me and my husband at Hoover Dam.**

**BPOV**

When Charlie and I got home that night, to say I was flying high was probably an understatement. Sure, Alice had basically told the entire table that she had issues with her brothers dating any of her friends, but Esme was trying to get Edward and I to go on a date. At least we had one ally when the shit hit the fan eventually, which I knew it would. I knew I had at least one month until Edward was back in Seattle to try and find a way to make everything okay. I didn't want to give either of them up, and with the way I was feeling lately, I wasn't certain that Alice would win in this battle.

It was only about half an hour after we got home that I noticed some headlights in the driveway and got excited thinking that Edward had come over early. Charlie had already gone to bed, so now was actually a perfect time for him to pick me up. I had been thinking about his offer of a 'drive' ever since he mentioned it, and I was beyond excited, probably because I had never had sex in a car before. I had already gotten to the door to step outside to join him, when I noticed a figure walking up the driveway that was clearly not Edward. I reached for my phone to call him, but he would just freak out and I prayed I would be able to get Jacob to leave before he arrived.

"Merry Christmas Bella," said Jacob with a gentle laugh as he walked towards me, his arms open as though he was awaiting a hug.

"What are you doing here?" I asked irately as I stepped out onto the porch, not wanting him anywhere near the house.

"I talked to Charlie yesterday and he said you'd be free to talk tonight. I just want to talk to you Bells," he said with an air of confidence about him. "I got you a gift."

"Why don't you give it to your new girlfriend Jacob," I replied snidely as I moved forward along the porch, effectively making him take a step back from me. "I don't give a shit about anything you have to say, and I don't want to hear any possible apologies." Jacob was undeterred by my words and even offered up a smile as I spoke. It just made me all the more furious as I flipped open my phone to call Edward as Jacob grabbed it from my hand and walked into the house, leaving the phone on the counter on the other side of the room.

"Sit down Bella, I just want to talk. She's not my girlfriend… she was just a …. release."

"A release? How romantic," I scoffed out loud. "Why do you want to talk to me Jacob?" I practically shrieked at him. I glared at my phone on the other side of the room, desperate to get to it.

"I want you back. I know I screwed up big time, but you were the best thing that ever happened to me. I need you back." I honestly felt like I was going to vomit on his shoes, but I held back my anger.

"I'm with someone else now." I smiled as I said this, my confidence returning as I thought of me and Edward together. I thought of talking to him about my previous relationship with Jacob, and how relieved I was when I determined that I was never in love with him. Jacob needed to know this.

"When the hell did you have time to find someone else?" he snapped at me angrily as he walked around the kitchen, his hands running down his arms, like he always did when he was nervous.

"It doesn't matter Jake. What does matter is that in my time away from you I realized something very important. I don't love you and I never loved you. I was only with you because everyone wanted us to be together, and we felt safe. I don't want safe anymore." I was instantly proud of the words coming from my mouth and I knew Edward would be proud of me too.

"What kind of slut just goes and finds someone after two weeks. You were probably fucking him before we broke up," he yelled at me. If it wasn't for the fact that Charlie was in his usual turkey coma, he would have probably been down in the kitchen wondering what was going on.

"I never once cheated you on Jacob Black. You can't say the same for me though. I know of one, but I am certain there were more, so stop being a hypocritical bastard. You cheated on me. You don't get to ask me back or talk to me the way you have been." I glanced back to the cell phone again and caught a glimpse of the clock. We had been arguing for almost twenty minutes even though it felt like two. All the awkward silences between us were killing me. Jake just kept giving me pained looks, as though he had lost his puppy, but he never had it to begin with. "You need to leave Jake. He's coming over soon, so you need to go."

"I should meet him. If he makes you happy, I think I should meet him," said Jake in frustration. I wanted to head to the cupboard and grab Charlie's cast iron skillet that hadn't been used in at least five years and knock him upside the head, rendering him unconscious, but I was too nice for that.

"I don't think that's a good idea. In fact, I would prefer it if you guys never met, because you aren't in my life anymore and he is." I grabbed my jacket from the coat rack behind the door and held it firmly in my hands as I noticed headlights in front of the house again. "I have to go Jacob. So you have to go. I really don't want to have to pull you two apart on my father's lawn because he knows what happened between us. He knows all of it." I stepped out the door, with Jacob at my heels, still trying to get me to talk to him. I raised my hands in frustration as I told him to stay out of my life and then ran to Edward's car through the deep snow on my father's lawn.

When I finally sat in the car and buckled myself in, Edward looked livid.

"Are you okay?" he asked with concern as his breathing seemed to level out. He was upset and he didn't even know what was going on. I started to cry a bit from anger at Jacob showing up at the house, and at Charlie for practically inviting him. Edward pulled over onto a side road and hugged me close to him. My head rested against his chest and I greedily breathed in his scent. "Who were you arguing with?"

"Jacob," I replied tensely. I had images in my head of Edward turning the car around so that he could beat the shit out of Jacob, which is something I know he wanted to do, but I wanted to forget it ever happened. I gripped his hand tightly in mine and kissed his cheek sweetly. Edward reached up and moved the tears from my eyes. "I'm heading home to Seattle tomorrow. I know its a few days early, but I can't stay here."

Edward nodded his head in understanding as he continued to hold me. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"What happened was that my father told Jacob he could come over to talk to me. My father, who just a few hours ago, was really sweet at dinner and seemed genuinely concerned with me, told my cheating louse of an ex boyfriend that he should come over and try to patch things up with me." I let out a long sigh as Edward's hands ran gingerly though my hair. "He called me a slut because I'm with you now. Don't worry, I didn't tell him it was you. I just said I was with someone else."

"I don't care if you told Jacob it was me. I would like nothing more than to scream it from the rooftops, or put a fucking float in the Rose Parade confessing that we are together," laughed Edward genuinely, which resulted in a small laugh from me. When Edward had determined I was calm enough, he started the car again and continued down the road.

"I think Alice might be a challenge," I admitted ruefully. "I'm going to talk to her while you're away in L.A. getting ready to move back. I need to talk some sense into her. I know she's mad that she lost Rosalie, but she has her back now. She needs to know I would never do that to her." Edward was pensive for a few moments, clearly thinking very hard about what needed to be spoken next.

"I think something else happened. I think it might have to do with Rose, but I'm not sure. If you see Rosalie, you should ask her about it subtly." I nodded my head in agreement and intertwined his fingers with mine over the console between us. "Don't worry about heading back to Seattle. Emmett and I are gonna go there tomorrow for a few days. I need to find an apartment and so does he. Perhaps we can go out on an actual date when I'm there?"

"Dinner at my place? Alice is usually all over the place in Seattle. I've gone into some of the most random stores and restaurants and she was there, so let's just hang at my apartment, okay?" I suggested eagerly. Edward nodded his head in agreement and continued driving until we came to a small secluded parking lot on the side of the highway. It was clearly an overlook of some sort, where travelers stopped to stretch their legs and take a piss, but I didn't care. I turned my face towards him and immediately felt his hand reach up behind my head and pull me towards him for a kiss. All thoughts disappeared from my mind the moment he kissed me. There was no more Charlie or Jacob, and he was no longer leaving me for a month. It was perfect.

"Push your seat down, now Cullen," I said forcefully when our lips finally parted. Edward looked at me incredulously, perhaps because I was being the aggressor or perhaps because I have rarely called him by his last name. Either way, it didn't matter because he instantly grabbed the handle on the side of his seat, pushing it all the way down. He then slipped his hand between his legs and moved the seat back as far as it would go, and I straddled him the moment he was lying down.

"Bella Swan, what has gotten into you?" asked Edward with a grin as my hands rested on his chest and I began to unbutton his shirt.

"Nothing. That's the problem," I replied with a laugh as Edward sat up slowly and locked his mouth onto my neck, sucking furiously. I had to push him away for a moment to compose myself. "I've never had sex in a car."

"That makes two of us," sighed Edward as he pushed his hands under my shirt to cup my breasts. "I've missed you."

"Are you talking to my tits or me?" I asked curiously as Edward began laughing heartily at my question.

"Both," he said with a grin as he moved one hand between our legs and he pressed his finger firmly against the seam of my jeans at my crotch. I squirmed slightly at his touch, but was instantly wet from knowing how much he wanted me.

**EPOV**

This was not going to be as easy as I thought it would. I mean, Bella wanted me, that was never an issue, but doing it in the car was going to be awkward. Bella climbed from my lap and pulled my belt loose as she then began working on my zipper. I reached over and began to loosen her jeans, but felt her hand on mine, halting my actions. I sat in awe as Bella pulled my cock free from my pants and boxers, and began licking the head gently. I was so glad to be able to spend a few more days near her in Seattle before I left to head back to California. Maybe I could even convince her to go apartment hunting with me, I thought to myself as her mouth suddenly enveloped me.

"Ugh, Christ Bella," I moaned out as her hot mouth descended on me and I shivered slightly from her touch. The combination of the cold winter air and Bella's warm mouth was unbearable. As Bella sucked on me harder, I moaned louder. I was almost ready to explode into her mouth when she pulled her pants down and straddled me again, this time sliding my hard cock deep inside of her. This girl was going to be the death of me.

I gripped her hips tightly as she rode me, her hands pressed firmly against my chest. I was enthralled by every move and motion that Bella made, particularly when she threw her head back and called out my name. I loved it all. I knew I was getting close to the edge as I started to push my hips up to meet her thrusts, so I leaned forward a bit and began biting her nipples, which I knew made her crazy. It was only a minute later that she yelled out my name again, panting heavily as I felt her tense around me, her entire body tightening in orgasm, which then released mine.

Bella laid her head down on my chest for a few moments before climbing off of me and pulling her pants back on. I was immediately disappointed, but pleased that we had sex in my car. "You do realize that I will never be able to get into my car again without thinking of you riding me," I explained to Bella as she pulled her hair back into a quick ponytail.

"Maybe that was my mission. You shouldn't have mentioned wanting to take me for a drive," she laughed as she put her hand against my chest. I grabbed it in my own hand and kissed it sweetly. "So we should talk."

Uh-oh.

"About what?" I was instantly nervous. This definitely hadn't been a good-bye fuck, but I had no idea what to expect.

"I know you're going to go back to L.A. soon and you think you'll be a month or whatever, but I want you to know I'll wait for you." She looked so sweet and genuine as she spoke, that I instantly leaned forward and kissed her again. I pulled my pants back up reluctantly and turned back to Bella.

"Thank god! I was so worried for a second when you said you wanted to talk. I am going to do my damnest to make sure the break isn't too long and I am going to call you and email as much as possible. You'll find me annoying in no time," I said with a laugh as I continued my little rant. "I want to get out of L.A. and back to you as soon as possible. Speaking of which, do you want to go apartment hunting with me in a few days?"

Bella was quiet for a few moments before nodding her head. "Only if you'll go couch shopping with me." I agreed happily and kissed her again before there was a sudden knock on the window, scaring the hell out of both of us. I rolled down the window nervously, only to find a Forks Police Officer standing there with a flashlight.

"Good Evening Folks. You do realize you shouldn't be parked here for extended lengths of time don't you?" he asked as he bent to look in the car more, and noticed we were both fully dressed. Thank god he wasn't here five minutes earlier.

"Yes Officer," I replied tensely as the policeman got a weird look on his face and stroked his beard for a moment.

"Bella is that you?"

"Um yeah. Hi Officer Willinholly," said Bella shyly as she raised her hand and waved it at him sweetly. "Don't worry. It was completely G rated in here. We were just talking."

"Whatever you say Bella, but steamy windows do not make this scene G rated," he said with a laugh as Bella and I glared at each other in embarrassment. "I'm assuming Charlie and Jacob are not aware of this?"

"I'm not with Jacob anymore and well… Charlie doesn't know about my friend here yet, and I'd like to keep it that way if you don't mind." I was actually surprised when the officer nodded his head in agreement at Bella.

"Not a problem hon. Sasha and Tara have missed you terribly. Are you in town for a while? I'm sure they'd love to catch up with their favorite babysitter." Bella was a babysitter… I had no idea. Unfortunately my head immediately flooded with thoughts of her tucking the girls into bed and then me sneaking over to make out with her on the couch until the parents came home. Oh, I had missed so much in my teen years.

"Sorry Ted. I'm leaving tomorrow morning to head back to Seattle."

"Well, have a safe trip and make sure you stop by to visit them next time you're in town." Bella nodded her head at him and then called out' Merry Christmas' as he walked away from the car, leaving us both a little flustered.

"That was just weird. Thank god he didn't come by any sooner," I laughed as Bella buried her head in her hands, completely mortified. "Don't worry sweetheart, he seemed honest enough. I doubt he will tell Charlie anything."

I started the car and we headed back towards town. When we pulled in front of Bella's house it was almost two in the morning, and Jacob had finally left. Bella gave me a quick peck on the cheek before she reached down to open the car door. "I'll text you tomorrow. When are you heading into the city?"

"I was hoping to be out of the house before noon. I need to make a hotel reservation though," I sighed as I thought of all the important decisions I would need to make in the next few days. If I found an apartment, that would definitely be a big load off of my shoulders.

"Well, when you've got everything settled, let me know and we can make solid plans for that dinner date we discussed," said Bella with a grin as she opened the door and stepped out. "I'll miss you." She shut the door behind her before I even got a chance to tell her I would miss her as well. I drove slowly on the way home, since snow was starting to fall and the roads were already treacherous. I ended up back at my parents twenty minutes later and was slowly climbing the stairs up to my room when I heard the voice.

"Where were you?" asked Alice with concern.

"I went for a drive. It helps me clear my head," I replied in frustration as I walked towards her. She was sitting in the living room in Carlisle's favorite recliner. "What are you doing up so late?"

"Waiting for you," she replied flatly as I sat on the couch across from her.

"I'd say I'm flattered, but I'm exhausted Alice. Can the Spanish inquisition wait until the morning?" I asked with a hopeful tone to my voice.

"No. I don't want you to try to date Rosalie," said Alice like a fierce mama bear. I started to laugh, but she was dead serious. She thought I wanted Rose. "She's been through some crazy stuff in the past five years and doesn't want to spend time with Emmett or you, so please don't push this. The fact that you mentioned her earlier tonight immediately made me think you wanted her, and then Emmett and I argued about the same thing."

"I don't want Rosalie Alice. I was just making conversation because I think your rule regarding us not date your friends is ridiculous. I mean, you already like these girls, so they must have potential right?" I asked curiously as she continued to frown at me.

"Edward, Rosalie went through hell when she and Emmett split, and now that I know everything, I don't want that to happen again. I finally have them back; I don't want anything to ruin it."

"Alice… who is them?" I asked curiously. She had more than one person back in her life and it clearly revolved around Rosalie. Was this why Alice didn't want us dating her friends? Could this be related to why she wasn't excited that Em and I were moving back to Seattle?

"Pretend I didn't say anything," sighed Alice in frustration at herself as she stood from the chair and went to head up to her room. I grabbed her arm and pulled her back down to the first step.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I yelled at her, a little too loudly considering everyone else was asleep in our house. Alice led me outside the house and onto the front steps, the night air positively freezing both of us.

"You cannot say anything to anyone about this Edward. I promised Rosalie, and I don't want them to leave because of this."

"Who the fuck is them, Alice?"

"Rosalie and Logan."

"She's got a boyfriend, good for her." I said with a sigh. Alice was making this entire situation way too confusing for me.

"He's not her boyfriend. He's her son. Logan is five years old and he's Emmett's."

_Holy Fuck._

**A/N: Raise your hand if you're shocked? *coldplaywhore raises her own hand* The mystery of Alice is solved, too bad I just opened a whole new can of worms!**


	15. Aftermath and Apartments

**A/N: So I had intended this to come out sooner, but I forgot it was Wednesday night and I watched three solid hours of LOST instead. I'm an addict.**

**Thanks for all the awesome reviews on the last chapter. I know I shocked the hell out of 99% of you, which I liked. Can you believe I had no idea until I wrote it what I was going to do. It was a spur of the moment decision, which I think was a stroke of genius on my part. I guess we'll see how it plays out. How about right now?**

**I don't own twilight, but I do own a Canadian Passport with a god awful photo of me in it.**

**EPOV**

"I have a nephew?" I asked Alice incredulously and she simply nodded her head at me. "I have a five year old nephew named Logan." I was smiling at first at this realization. I would probably be a pretty good uncle, but then I realized that I wasn't technically an uncle and I had missed five years of his life. My entire family had missed five years of his life. Rosalie, and now Alice, had kept this from us and I was suddenly furious with both of them. I immediately found myself wondering what Logan looked like and if he had any of Emmett's features. I hoped he had his boisterous personality and was a handful for Rosalie.

"I only found out a year ago when Rosalie called me up telling me about the move to Seattle. She wanted to make sure Emmett wasn't living here and that she could be assured of her privacy," said Alice remorsefully as she finally walked us back into the house. We went into the music room on the far side of the main floor, hoping that this would be private enough for us. She paced around the room telling me about what happened as my fingers danced casually over the keys of the piano, as I sat on the bench in front of it.

"Rosalie found out she was pregnant a month after she left Forks. By this time, she was already settled at Cornell and Emmett was down at USC. She told me she tried to get in touch with him down there, and he refused to take her calls." I searched back in my memory and I could clearly recall these moments, because they usually ended up with him binge drinking, trying to forget her. He never once called her back. Emmett was a year older than I was, but he took a year off between high school and college, and we ended up at USC together. That was six years ago.

"I remember that," I told Alice casually as she continued on with her story.

"Well, she didn't want to get rid of the baby, so she had it, with the financial and emotional support of her parents. Rose did great in school and held a job the entire time, so that she could take care of Logan. They are thriving here in Seattle and he's a great kid. Just like me, family is the most important thing to Rose." I huffed in frustration at this comment and finally voiced my opinion.

"If family was so important to her, she should have told Emmett. Can you imagine how different life would be now? Mom and Dad are going to be crushed to find out they have a grandson and that they missed out on so much. Mom is going to spoil that boy," I said with a sigh. I felt horrible that my parents and brother had missed out on all of this; it was going to break my mother's heart.

"Rosalie doesn't want them to know."

"I don't think this is something I can keep from them Alice. Emmett has a son for christ sakes. This is important. It's not like he's got a new set of golf clubs, it's a son." I stammered indignantly as Alice crossed her arms over chest angrily. There was no way I could let something like this slide. Emmett was moving back to Seattle and he had a right to know Logan. We all did.

"This is why I don't want my friends dating my family. No offence, you're an excellent guy and the best brother anyone could ask for, but look at what has happened. Because of this, I lost almost five years with my best friend and almost six years with my nephew. He'll be six at the end of March." I was frustrated at her for her reaction to all of this. I was not Emmett. In fact, the Emmett of today is not the Emmett of six years ago.

"I am not Emmett," I said in frustration. "And I'm interested in Bella," I blurted out as Alice's eyes lit up in anger and I tried to ignore her reaction. "Do I honestly seem like the kind of guy who would sleep with a girl, get her pregnant and leave her?" I asked furiously.

"Bella has more issues than People magazine. I think you should steer clear of her, Edward."

"I think she would be hurt to hear you say that Alice. You're her best friend, yet you don't seem to want her to be happy. Even Mom was trying to hook us up in the kitchen earlier tonight. I think you need to worry about yourself, instead of everyone else." I sighed as I stood from the piano bench and walked towards the door of the music room.

"I want to talk to Rosalie before I leave for L.A. I'm not going to tell Emmett or anyone else anything right now, but if I can't talk to her, I won't keep quiet about this." Alice was hurt by my reaction, but I didn't care at this point. She was preventing the happiness of potentially seven people that she loved. Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, Logan, Bella and me. If she wouldn't have such stringent rules and be willing to relax about everything, it was possible that everyone could get what they wanted.

"Who does Logan look like?" I asked gently as my hand held onto the door.

"He's got Rosalie's color, but Emmett's face. He has a thick mess of curly blonde hair and if Emmett saw him, he'd know right away. Hell, I knew right away, there's no hiding that Logan Carlisle Hale is a Cullen. He's adorable Edward, and very well adjusted for such a little guy." I was pissed even more than ever. I wanted to know my nephew.

"His middle name is Carlisle?" I said in complete shock.

"Yeah. When Rosalie had him, she was still holding out hope for her and Emmett, so she named him after Dad." I could see tears form in Alice's eyes and she wiped them away quickly. "Edward, please don't pursue Bella. Not right now. Not with all this going on." I nodded my head at Alice, lying blatantly to her, but I didn't care. She wasn't going to stop me from being happy.

The next morning when I awoke, my entire body was sore. I had a boiling hot shower and then packed up my luggage. I got onto my mother's computer, since my laptop was packed away already, and made a reservation at Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle. I said a quick goodbye to my parents and Alice as I drove with Emmett into the city. He had booked an earlier flight out of Sea-Tac in an effort to get everything straightened out in L.A. I promised him that I would keep a look out for an apartment for him when I went looking the next day, and he thanked me profusely.

All morning I had struggled to talk to him because every fiber of my being wanted to tell him he was a father. After I dropped him off at the airport, Alice called me and let me know that Rosalie was willing to meet me for dinner tonight. She gave me the location and told me to be there at promptly at six, and I thanked her for helping me. If Rosalie wasn't going to tell Emmett about Logan, than I would.

I showed up at the restaurant on the north side of Seattle fifteen minutes early and quickly ordered myself a glass of Jameson's'. Rosalie had made us a reservation in her name, so I took a seat at the table she had booked and waited patiently as I nursed my drink. She arrived promptly at six, looking the same as always, just more mature. Her long blonde hair was up in a professional looking bun and she was in a suit, but otherwise she looked just like Emmett's girl. I offered up a reluctant hug and ordered her a martini.

"Nice to see you again Rosalie. I only wish it was under better circumstances," I said politely, even though I was fuming on the inside.

"Does Emmett know you are meeting me?" she asked curiously as she pulled off her suit jacket, leaving her in a very pretty lavender silk shirt.

"No. He doesn't know about anything, though I think he should know some things," I replied curtly. Rosalie was silent for a few more moments until her drink arrived. She took a big gulp of her martini and looked at me, as though she was disappointed.

"I'm sorry I never told your family about Logan. I know it was the wrong thing to do, but it was my only choice back then. Emmett wouldn't talk to me, and Logan was my only concern. He is still my only concern." Rosalie was very good at the protective mother bit, and I couldn't blame her.

"Emmett would be a great father and Esme and Carlisle would have done anything to help you both. He's changed a lot since high school Rose. One of the reasons he's moving back to Seattle is to try and settle down," I remarked casually as her eyes practically bugged out of her head and she looked panicked. "Alice didn't tell you he was moving back?"

"Um no, she didn't. She told me that she accidently told you about Logan and that you wanted to meet with me. When is he moving back?" She was suddenly very anxious and guarded, which was not what I needed. I wanted to talk to calm and cool Rosalie Hale.

"We're opening an office here for Cullen Advertising in two months. Emmett and I will be moving back to town by the end of January, hopefully. It depends on how long it takes to start the changes down in our L.A. office." Rosalie looked at me in surprise, and I immediately assumed that Alice hadn't filled her in on any information regarding Emmett. "He's CFO of our company, and I'm the CEO. We're opening a second location of our advertising firm here, which will be the corporate offices. He's smart, dedicated, determined and a hell of a lot more mature then he was when you dated him Rosalie."

"You talking positively of Emmett doesn't necessarily make it so," she replied with a reluctant sigh. She wanted to believe me, but didn't want to get hurt. I could see that easily.

"He would love Logan with his entire heart Rosalie. You should give him a chance. You should give all the Cullen's a chance," I begged her, but she didn't seem to budge. We ordered our dinners and I let the topic drop for a little while. We ate dinner comfortably, talking about our college lives, our current careers and she told me a few stories about Logan. He apparently loves 'Handy Manny', plays baseball almost as good as Emmett, and loves all sports. He was definitely Emmett's. My heart almost leapt from my chest when she pulled a small photo of him from her purse. He looked just like Emmett when he was five, except for the blonde hair.

"You said he moves back in a month right?" asked Rosalie curiously, after we had argued over who would pay the bill, which I won.

"Yeah. Please consider everything I said. He really would be an awesome dad. Here's my number," I said as I slid my business card to her, with my cell phone number scribbled on the back. "I'll call you before we move back so that you can let me know what your game plan is. Bear in mind, if you can't get up the nerve to tell him when he moves here, I will, and I really don't want to sound like some threatening asshole, but none of us want a custody battle." Rosalie shook her head in agreement and thanked me for dinner. She let me keep the picture, which I shoved into my wallet carefully.

"One month," she repeated to me as she walked from the restaurant and out to her car. I reached into my pocket and texted Bella.

_Where do you live? Want some company? –E_

I hopped into my car and waited patiently for a few minutes until Bella called me.

"Of course I want some company. But why did you bother getting a hotel room if you're not going to use it?" she asked as she laughed at me.

"Fine then, pack an overnight bag and come stay at the hotel. I have a Jacuzzi tub," I said as a bright smile crossed my face. "Then tomorrow morning we can go apartment hunting together for both Emmett and me."

"Okay," sighed Bella as she gave me directions to her apartment. Unfortunately, she was downtown, so it took me almost thirty minutes to get there, but when I pulled into the parking lot, she was waiting for me in the lobby, dressed casually in my favorite pair of ass hugging jeans, a t-shirt, and bundled up in her winter coat. She slid into the car and tossed her bag on the backseat before buckling her seat belt and offering me a kiss.

"You won't believe the day I've had."

**BPOV**

When we finally got into Edward's hotel room, he pulled me in for a sweet kiss and then immediately picked up the phone. He called room service and ordered a bottle of Jameson's and two shot glasses. "Do you want anything?" he asked curiously as I shook my head and tossed my bag on a nearby chair.

"Do you need to talk about it?" I asked apprehensively as he pulled his jacket off and tossed it on the sofa.

"Yes, yes I do, but let's get comfortable first," said Edward as he pulled off his sweater and t-shirt and strolled into the bathroom. I searched through my bag for something comfortable to wear, but I had honestly thought we'd be having sex, so I only brought lingerie. I opened Edward's bag and pulled out one of his t-shirts and a pair of boxer shorts, and they were freshly washed, _thank you Esme._ "You need my clothes?" laughed Edward when he came out of the bathroom a few moments later in his boxers.

"I didn't think we'd be talking much this evening," I replied honestly, albeit a little embarrassed. Edward laughed at me some more and sat down on the couch, patting the cushions for me to join him. I sat beside him and he wrapped his arms around me, hugging me close to him.

"I told Alice I was interested in you," sighed Edward as I whipped my head around to look at him in complete disbelief. "She told me not to pursue you. Not now anyways. I think she thinks you are still screwed up about Jacob, which we both know is not the case."

"She needs to stop playing my protector. I'm going to talk to her next week. Maybe if I happen to mention how hot and sexy I think you are, she might just give up," I suggested sweetly as Edward's fingers began dancing on the back of my neck tenderly.

"Ready for the shocker?"

"That wasn't it?" I replied coolly, as there was a knock on the door. Edward grabbed a bathrobe and pulled it over his half naked body and answered the door. He signed the slip of paper and eagerly grabbed the tray holding his booze and the shot glasses. After he had tipped the server, Edward set the bottle and glasses down on the coffee table and quickly poured us each a drink.

"You'll need to take this," he said with a nervous laugh as he handed me the drink. I held it up tentatively and took the drink at the same time as him, both of us cringing as the hot liquor poured down our throats.

"So, what's going on?" I asked curiously as we resumed our position on the couch, nestled up to each other.

"I'm an uncle."

There was silence from both of us for a few minutes. I had no idea how this was possible, or who the hell was pregnant. Alice and Emmett clearly didn't have children. In fact, I only knew one person who had a child, Rosalie. Edward looked down at me and sensed my confusion. "Rosalie has a son and Emmett is the father, but he doesn't know."

"No shit, Emmett is Logan's dad?" I yelled out in surprise. I poured us each other drink and we took our shots greedily this time. "He's a great kid. I'm sure you'll be a great uncle. Uncle Edward. Has a nice ring to it. He's been calling me Aunt Bella since they got into Seattle a year ago. Holy shit, I have baby sat that kid like ten times, and he's your nephew?" This was way too much to process.

"Rosalie isn't sure she wants to tell Emmett or the rest of the family. I had dinner with her tonight, trying to convince her that Emmett isn't the selfish son of a bitch that he was in high school, but I'm not sure I made any head way with her." I listened as Edward sighed, his voice clearly saddened by this. "He's almost six Bella and I don't even know him. I could have gone to baseball games, and bought him trucks and other toys. I don't even know if he likes trucks."

"He loves trucks, specifically fire trucks," I replied, trying to be helpful. "It took Alice a while to convince Rosalie to let her into Logan's life. Perhaps she'll do the same to you one day."

"I told her if she didn't make up her mind about telling Emmett before we move to town in a month, then I will tell him for her. If she refuses to let Emmett into Logan's life, I'm certain there will be a custody battle. Hell, my parents might even be the ones fighting for custody." I immediately felt heartbroken for Esme and Carlisle, who had practically been second parents to me. They would love Logan and be crushed that they had missed this time with him.

"I usually see her once a week, perhaps I can put in a good word for Emmett, after all, he has been good in helping us keep our secret." I wasn't sure that anything I could say to Rosalie could change her decision, but I had to try. I thought Logan deserved to know his father, his uncle and his grandparents. We each took another shot of liquor and then Edward climbed from the couch, grabbing my hand in his, moving us to the bed. As I lay down, pulling the covers down with me, Edward shut all the lights off the in the room, with the exception of one on his nightstand.

He climbed into bed beside me and pulled me close against him. "I'm sorry I unloaded all this on you, but I needed to talk to someone." He kissed my temple gently as I laid my head on his chest.

"I'm glad you could talk to me Edward. Isn't that what girlfriends are for?" I said with a chuckle. He didn't respond, choosing instead to cuddle closer to me.

"What else does Logan like to do?" he asked curiously as his fingers moved along my stomach tenderly.

"He loves to color. He's usually drawing fire trucks though, which gets boring after a while. He's very smart and does especially well in math, which he clearly gets from both of his parents. He has a tendency to get over excited about things, which is very Emmett," I said honestly, trying to give Edward a bit more insight into his nephew. He was clearly heartbroken over the time they had lost together.

"You know, had I known about this earlier, a lot of things would be different. Emmett probably would have moved to wherever Rosalie was to help her raise Logan. Shit, they might even be married with other kids," laughed Edward, although he still sounded sad. "I probably never would have stayed in L.A. as long as I did. Hell, you and I might have gotten together years ago and be married now or something."

"Maybe, but you can't live your life based on 'what if's'. I like where we are right now, so let's not worry about what might have been." Edward nodded his head against my shoulder and kissed my cheek tenderly. It wasn't much longer when I could hear Edward's breathing deepen, signaling that he had fallen asleep. I leaned over to shut off the lamp and then curled back into him, trying desperately to fall asleep.

The next morning, Edward was up bright and early, whereas I was struggling to wake up. I hadn't slept too well, the Jameson's clearly not agreeing with me. Edward clearly noticed my dilemma and handed me a glass of water and two Tylenol once he had stepped from the shower.

"Sorry you feel like shit this morning," he said sweetly as I laid my head back against the pillow and he wandered towards the dresser to get his clothes.

"I'll be fine after I eat and shower."

"I ordered you some pancakes for breakfast, I hope you don't mind."

"No, that's perfect," I replied as I watched him move around the room crazily. "What time are we meeting the real estate agent?"

"Nine thirty, so we have just over an hour. She's gonna meet us down at the coffee shop downstairs first. We're gonna go through a few listings and see which ones have promise, and go from there."

"Sounds good," I said, lying through my teeth. I really just wanted to pull the blanket over my head and go back to sleep. I finally forced myself out of bed and into the shower and the moment I was out, breakfast had already arrived and Edward was pulling the cover off my pancakes, like a waiter. "Smells awesome Edward."

"Yeah, I'm sure they suck compared to your blueberry pancakes, but you can't expect perfection," he said with a nervous laugh. I sat down in my bathrobe and quickly devoured my breakfast as I paid attention to the clock. I had fifteen minutes to make myself presentable for the real estate agent, and somehow I managed it. I felt horrible, but I looked decent.

As we walked into the coffee shop, hand in hand, we immediately saw a young woman in the corner typing away on her laptop and chatting to no one. I hadn't noticed until we got closer that she had an earpiece in and was actually on the phone. She held up a finger to us, requesting that we wait a moment while she finished her call. "Sorry about that, no one seems to be able to wait these days," she said with a sigh as she stood up and extended her hand to us. "I'm Amelia. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Cullen."

I immediately opened my mouth to correct her, but Edward shook her hand amiably and thanked her for meeting us instead. Alright, I'm playing the role of wife today, I laughed to myself. We sat around chatting for a while as she showed us some of the properties she had in mind. Neither Edward nor Emmett was looking to rent, they both wanted to buy because they were making a permanent move, which excited me to no end.

"Now, I know I said yesterday that we were looking for at least one bedroom, but the situation as changed, so both properties need to be at minimum two bedrooms." Edward was clearly thinking of Emmett as he said this. He was hopeful that Rosalie would allow Emmett into Logan's life, thus requiring the second bedroom. Amelia nodded her head in acknowledgment and then she led us to her car, and we headed to the first condo.

It was large, spacious and very contemporary. Everything was white. Edward hated it, just like I knew he would. Sure, it met all the requirements he had set forth, but it was ugly as sin. Amelia relented and drove us a few minutes away to a second condo. This one definitely had potential. The views were decent, the rooms were a good size and there was even two fireplaces, one in the living room and one in the bedroom.

"I like the fireplaces," I whispered to Edward when we were alone checking out the master bedroom.

"Of course you do. You're probably picturing a bear skin rug and us making love on top of it," he said with a laugh as he kissed me sweetly and went to check out the en suite. Edward definitely considered it a contender and then Amelia took us to a third place, which had more charm than the others in my opinion. The building was older, less contemporary, but had all original fixtures. Edward didn't like this one either. We had gone through three more apartments, when I noticed we were practically in my neighborhood, but I chose not to say anything.

Amelia took us into the apartment building across from mine and Edward pointed to my building. "Don't you live there?" he whispered quietly, hoping Amelia didn't hear us so that we could continue our ruse of Mr. and Mrs. Cullen. I nodded my head and his eyes lit up. He liked the idea of living close to me, and I laughed as we got in the elevator and she took us to the top floor. This apartment was decent as well, not as big as some of the others, but it was nice. Edward was particularly fond of the renovated kitchen, and I could easily picture him making me French toast in there on a lazy Sunday morning. The bedroom was the largest we had seen today, and it had a fireplace in addition to French doors that led out to a small balcony.

"What do you think honey?" asked Edward sweetly after we had finished the tour.

"Well, the neighborhood seems nice and safe," I said sarcastically. "It's nice. It's a good size, nice closets. I find no major faults with it." Edward nodded his head and looked down at his watch; it was already three in the afternoon.

"Okay Amelia, let's draw up an offer for me on this apartment and one for Emmett on the condo with the two bedrooms and two fireplaces. The neighborhood seems family friendly; I think I even saw a park." I nodded at Edward with a smile as Amelia was practically beaming. They talked real estate terms while I wandered to the master bedroom and looked out the window. From Edward's bedroom, you could look down into my bedroom. He was on the fifth floor and I was on the third, but we could definitely see each other clearly if we stood in the windows. I laughed at the thought and walked back to the living room to join them.

Amelia drove us back to the hotel, chatting happily about calling Edward tomorrow with more specifics on the sales. When we got back into our room, Edward called Emmett to let him know about the apartment and the offers they were putting in. When he was finally done, Edward sat down on the couch and I sat beside him comfortably.

"I have to leave tomorrow," said Edward sadly as I leaned my head on his chest.

"I know."

"I don't want to go," he added as he tightened his hold on me and kissed my lips gently, his lips barely grazing mine.

"I know that too."

"Can you stay tonight?" I nodded slowly in response and spent the rest of the night wrapped in and around the arms of Edward Cullen.


	16. Details in the Fabric

**A/N: This chapter isn't as long as I hoped it would be, but oh well. There's a little bit of everything; drama, humor, romance and lemony goodness. Enjoy!**

**I didn't want to make their one month apart into like thirty chapters of drama and angst, so you get one chapter of miscellaneous junk **

**I know, everyone is hating on Alice right now, but cut the girl some slack. She has her own issues, some of which are mentioned in this chapter.**

**LKDunck3- Feel Free to start a fan club. I don't mind. I'm a leo, we love a little shameless promotion. Any other Leo's out there? Hey baby, what's your sign? Can you guys tell I'm tired?**

**I don't own twilight, but I do have to go grocery shopping right now. Vanilla Oreos for everyone. They truly are the best.**

**BPOV**

The next morning, Edward and I said an awkward goodbye after he dropped me off at my apartment to get ready for work. He was driving back to L.A. today after a meeting with his commercial real estate agent regarding the new offices for Cullen Advertising. Neither of us wanted to say goodbye, and we spent almost five minutes in front of my apartment building entering all of our phone numbers into each other's cell phones.

He promised to call me later in the night, from wherever he ended up stopping to sleep. I was certain I would hear from him earlier than that though, but didn't say anything to Edward. When I finally stepped from the car, after our last kiss, I practically ran up to my apartment, letting the tears fall easily down my cheeks. I showered and dressed quickly before hopping into my car, heading to work, which would be my same routine for the next thirty five days, until Edward moved to Seattle.

Each day was the same, yet subtly different. I would wake up, shower, get dressed and eat breakfast in relative silence. Sometimes I would turn on my iPod and listen to something, but it would promptly remind me of Edward and I would shut it off. Once I got to work, I let my routine surround me. I would check my emails, chat aimlessly with the other employees and do my work. Some days I even took lunch at my desk, hoping that the day will progress faster, so that February first could get here.

Edward had called me all excited on January second when everything was decided about the move. He and Emmett would be driving from L.A. on January 30th and expected to get into town on the 1st, with their moving trucks following them. I was practically bursting with excitement at the prospect of looking out my window and see Edward's moving truck outside my building. I had to wait though, so I continued my monotonous routine. The best part of my day was always the little texts Edward would send, or the phone calls around bed time. He'd tell me about work and the move, how he hadn't heard anything from Rosalie, and most importantly, he'd tell me how much he missed me. That was by far my favorite part of the day.

It was only two weeks after he left, that Alice called me up and invited me out to lunch with her and Rosalie. I jumped at the chance, but realized I would have to play it very cool because neither of them knew I was dating Edward, or that I knew about Logan being Emmett's son. It was going to be a tricky afternoon. I dressed warmly and texted Edward to let him know where I was. He had a tendency to worry when I didn't respond quickly enough for his liking, when he either called or texted me. I showed up at the restaurant only ten minutes early, but both girls were there already, deep in conversation.

"Hey Ladies," I said happily as I hugged them both and their demeanors changed from frustrated to happy. Wow, that was fake, I thought to myself as they both smiled brightly at me. "How's life going?"

"Eh, same old shit, different day," laughed Alice as she took a sip of her Cosmo and glanced over at Rosalie, who was also drinking.

"Uh oh, what's wrong? You're both drinking at one on a Saturday afternoon, this is very suspicious," I said casually, hoping to catch them off guard. I knew nothing, at least that is what they believe, and I want to keep it that way.

"A lot of shit has been going on since Christmas, and we need an impartial voice," said Alice as she smiled at me. "First of all, Jasper and I broke up… months ago actually. We're still living together as friends, but we're not together." Alice looked very heartbroken with this revelation, and I was completely shocked. When the waiter came by, I quickly ordered myself a Jameson's and looked at Alice, who was already starting to cry.

"Do you want to tell me what happened? I thought things were going really well. I mean, last time we talked on the phone, you were practically gushing about him." I was initially confused but then I realized something very important, he knew about Logan, and he didn't want to keep the truth either. The moment Rosalie spoke, my suspicions were confirmed.

"Alice has been keeping a secret for me, for almost a year now. Jasper found out and disagrees with everything I've done. She decided to keep my secret and Jasper broke up with her. Emmett is Logan's biological father," admitted Rosalie as my face expressed complete shock, although my insides were relieved to hear her words.

"And Jasper wants you to tell Emmett?" I asked Alice as she nodded her head at me.

"Edward knows too. We fought at Christmas and I told him. Now he's insisting that Rosalie either tell Emmett or he will. We need your opinion Bella. You're completely impartial and have been nothing but an awesome friend to both of us. Hell, Logan loves you more than some of his fire trucks, and that is saying a lot," said Alice with a nervous laugh. I nodded my head in acknowledgement of her words and spent a moment thinking while I reviewed the menu. Once our waiter came, I ordered a Chicken Caesar Salad and another Jamesons.

"I'm going to be brutally honest here, so don't hold it against me, but I think Emmett has a right to know. From what I understand, Emmett and Edward are moving back to Seattle soon. If you run into Emmett, he will know immediately that Logan is his. I don't know how I didn't see it before, they're practically Dr. Evil and Mini-me. They look so much alike." Rosalie and Alice both nodded at my words, but I kept speaking. "Logan is a wonderful child, but he could use a father figure. Plus, Esme and Carlisle would be wonderful grandparents."

"Do you think I was wrong to keep Rose's secret?" asked Alice as I fidgeted nervously with the strap on my watch.

"I'm sure you had your reasons, like the fear of Rosalie taking him away again, after he was already gone for five years, but I don't think fear is a reason to not do something. Your parents will be crushed to learn that they have a grandson," I said remorsefully. "I think Jasper was right. He shouldn't have broken up with you over it, but he was right in his beliefs. If you don't mind me asking Rose, why did you keep Logan a secret?"

Rosalie looked a little frustrated with me for my question, but I thought it was necessary. If she acknowledged why she had done it, perhaps she would realize why it needed to change. "I was scared. When I found out, I tried for weeks to call Emmett, but he never once answered the phone or called me back. I couldn't leave him a phone message saying 'We're having a baby, dipshit,' so, I didn't." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Once Logan was born, I knew if I told any of the Cullen's, they'd probably fight for custody, or at least to get me to move back to Washington, but things were good for us in Ithaca. I had a job and great friends who helped immensely with Logan. After a while, I just didn't want to ruin the life I had built for us." Holy selfish answer Batman, I thought to myself once she was finished.

"Why did you keep the secret Alice?"

"I didn't want to lose them. No offence Rose, but the moment you told me about Logan, all I thought about was you guys running away again. I was just as selfish as Rosalie was honestly. No wonder Jasper dumped my ass," she said with a slight laugh. She wasn't pleased with what she had done, but her heart was in the right place. At least in her opinion in was.

Rosalie and Alice spent the rest of the lunch discussing possible ways to reveal the secret to the family, which made me somewhat elated. However, before we left, Rosalie admitted she still hadn't made a decision yet. She had two weeks left until Edward came home and the gauntlet was thrown. "Alice, can we talk before you leave?" I asked after the bill had arrived and we had split it evenly.

"Sure Bells," she replied cautiously as we stayed seated. Rosalie had to make it home as soon as possible to relive the babysitter, so she left us, seeming somewhat less stressed than she had when I had walked in. "I've decided that I hope she tells Emmett. He would be a great father."

"I'm sure he will be Ali. Christmas with your family was great by the way. I called Esme on New Years to thank her for everything," I admitted casually as Alice simply smiled brightly at me. "But I have something to ask you and after the dinner conversation that night, I'm not sure how you will react."

"Just spit it out hon. I have to get home and try to convince Jas to take me back," sighed Alice as I steeled all my resolve and looked her straight in the eyes.

"I want to go out with your brother Edward. We were talking with Esme that night, and he seemed really nice and sweet, and I'd like to invite him over for dinner when he moves back. You're going to say no, aren't you?" I was braced for the worst possible answer from Alice, and 'no' would definitely be it.

"Are you ready to date again, after the whole Jacob debacle?"

"Yeah, I am. All the time at the cabin really helped me realize that I was never truly in love with him. He was just 'safe' and I don't want anything safe anymore. I want to enjoy myself and find someone I can actually love." Alice looked at me a bit incredulously. "I want what you and Jasper used to have, and hopefully will have again soon."

"Fine. Ask him out. Don't yell at me if he says no though." I jumped up from my chair and wrapped my arms forcefully around Alice's tiny body. "Why Edward though?"

"I dunno Alice, he just seems really sweet, and he's definitely sexy. I could stare into those deep green eyes all day, and don't get me started about the other things I imagine doing to him… "I started to say as Alice cut me off.

"Okay, too much information. Ask him out and let's see what happens. If he screws everything up though, you better still be my friend." I nodded my head enthusiastically as we stood from our seats and headed out of the restaurant.

"Good luck with Jasper," I called out to her as she started to walk down the street.

"Good luck with Edward," she called back as she waved goodbye to me.

When I finally got back to my apartment, it was four o'clock and I had practically floated in the door. I was on cloud nine. Edward was supposed to be going to some business dinner tonight with some investors in from New York City for the weekend, so I couldn't call him with the good news. I sent him a quick text, urging him to call me when he got home that night, but not before. I puttered around my apartment for a bit before making dinner and lying on the couch to watch 'Empire Records', which I could practically quote verbatim. I had just slipped into the bathtub with a glass of wine and some Joshua Radin in the background, when my phone buzzed. It was almost ten at night and Edward had texted me.

_Where are you? Can I call now? –E_

I closed the text and dialed Edward's number eagerly. "Hey baby," I said happily when he finally picked up.

"I miss you," were the first words he spoke to me and I immediately blushed. I took a drink of wine, calling forth my liquid courage and began to flirt with him shamelessly, still on a high from getting Alice's permission to date him.

"Where are you?" I asked curiously as he explained that he had just gotten home and was walking into his bedroom. "What are you wearing?" I added, hoping to sound seductive.

"I'm currently in a blue suit, white shirt and matching blue tie, but I am getting undressed as we speak. What are you wearing Bella?" asked Edward, each of his words sounding sly and purposeful.

"I'm wearing some bubbles Edward. I had just gotten into the bathtub when you texted me," I admitted as a big grin grew across my face. Edward, however, did not return the flirting. In fact, he didn't speak at all. "Are you okay?"

"Sorry, just picturing you naked in a bathtub covered in only bubbles made all my blood rush elsewhere," he said with a nervous laugh as I heard him continue undressing.

"Oh really? Care to talk to me about it?"

"Why Miss Swan… are you trying to seduce me?" laughed Edward again as my hand involuntarily began moving against my breast.

"Edward, I need you," I panted, my voice practically dripping with lust. "I'm touching myself."

"Holy shit, really?" he asked curiously. He sounded like a fourteen year old boy who just found out his best friend had a porno stash. I laughed to myself quietly as I took another sip of wine, giving myself a little more confidence.

"Yes Edward, really. If you were here, your hands would be doing what mine are doing."

"Bella… what are your hands doing?" he asked nervously as I moaned lightly into the phone and heard a low 'jesus christ' in the background.

"My hands are touching my breasts. Do you want to touch them?"

"Fuck yes I do," he groaned as I heard him moving again in the background.

"What are you doing Edward?" I asked, still trying to be as seductive and sexy as possible.

"I'm naked and rubbing my cock, thinking about you Bella. Shit, I've never done this," he admitted anxiously. It's not like I had ever done this either, but after being away from him for over two weeks, it was hard to think of nothing but him and the mind blowing sex we would have the moment he came home.

**EPOV**

The moment Bella told me she was in the bathtub; my entire body froze as I tried with all my might to picture her. Making it even worse was the fact that she started to tell me what she was doing to herself in that tub. My brain immediately turned to mush and I finished stripping and got onto my bed, my hard cock grasped in my hands. When she asked me what I was doing, I just blurted out that I was jerking off, and didn't even care about her reaction.

"Mmm… I wish my hand was all over your hard cock right now," she said quietly as my dick twitched in my hand and I rubbed my finger over the tip, causing me to moan quietly.

"Tell me what you're doing Bella." I was direct, yet smooth. I hated the entire concept of phone sex, but with Bella… it actually excited me. Then again, everything about her excited me.

"My hands are moving along my breasts, massaging them firmly. I'm imagining your hands all over me, pinching my nipples and biting me," she said breathlessly as I closed my eyes and tried to picture her in front of me. "I'm sliding my hands down my stomach and into the water." I gasped slightly at the vision she provided me and grew harder in my hand.

"Bella… rub your clit for me," I said forcefully. I wanted her to do what I told her, I had decided, as I kept my hand constantly stroking myself. Bella offered up no response to my words, but I could hear her breathing pick up. "Hard baby."

"Yes Edward," she replied eventually, her voice labored and slow. I hadn't realized how much of a turn on this would be. My cock was hard as a rock and after five more minutes of desperate talk and stroking myself, I was on the verge of making a huge mess, not that it made a bit of a difference.

"Bella, I want to hear you come for me, please," I was practically begging, because I knew the sounds of her release would spur me to finish. I heard a bit of water splashing, only making this more difficult on me. Suddenly Bella's groaned loudly and then moaned my name, and I came harder than I had every other day this week when I jerked off in the shower thinking of her. There were several minutes of silence from both of us before I finally spoke. "Did you drown?" I asked with a nervous laugh.

"No," she replied with a gentle laugh. "I just haven't done anything since we were together last; I was kind of waiting for you to come back."

"Wow, I'm impressed. I couldn't hold out one day and you held out fifteen." Bella laughed at my comment and then told me she was going to get out of the bath and would call back in five minutes. The moment we were off the phone, I ran into my bathroom and cleaned up. I tossed on a pair of boxer shorts and grabbed myself a small glass of Jamesons' to help calm me down. That had been one of the most erotic things I had ever done, and the more I thought about it, the more excited I got.

"So, I have some good news," said Bella casually when she called back a few minutes later.

"We're going to do that again?" I replied with a loud laugh as she moaned in frustration at me.

"No. I talked to Alice and Rosalie today, and things went remarkably well. Would you like to come over for dinner at my place when you get back into town?" she asked trying to sound casual, but she was clearly excited. As I replayed her words in my head, a bright smile spread across my face as well.

"Alice said we could go out?" I practically screamed into the phone.

"Yeah, she said we could go on a date. I had a promise her that if you screwed it up, her and I would still be friends though," she said with a giggle. There was no way in hell I was planning to screw this one up. "So, do we have a date?"

"Of course we do Bella, although I was planning for our first date to be a little more romantic than dinner at your place," I said in frustration. So much for the flowers, romantic restaurant and dancing I had been thinking about.

"This isn't our first date Edward. Don't worry; I won't skimp in the romance department okay?"

"I trust you Bella. So, what did Rosalie say? Did she tell you about Logan?"

"Yeah, she might have mentioned the little guy. It was funny because Alice and Rosalie wanted to talk to me as an impartial person, since I technically knew nothing, and I'm not supposed to know Emmett and all that shit," she said nervously. "I told them to tell Emmett and your parents. Then even spent half an hour discussing how to break the news, but Rosalie never confirmed if she was doing it or not. I think she's waiting till the last minute." I sighed in frustration, hoping that this would have been resolved before I moved to Seattle. As long as Rosalie was considering it, and it was a definite possibility, I was happy.

"Thanks for letting me know babe," I told Bella as she continued on with her conversation.

"Did you know Alice and Jasper broke up?" she asked me anxiously. "Apparently, he found out about Logan and told her to tell the family. She refused out of fear of losing Logan and Rosalie, so Jasper broke up with her." I was in shock. Jasper knew and never told us either. Christ, this was a regular soap opera wasn't it? Bella and I talked about my fucked up family for a little while longer before we both started to get sleepy.

This is how the next twenty days progressed. Talking to Bella, jerking off (sometimes with or without her on the phone), and packing all of my shit. I was in the office almost every day to get stuff straightened out, but luckily everyone seemed excited with the transformation of the company, especially the employees who got promoted due to all the changes.

I was in the middle of packing some boxes, with just seven days left until I was back in Seattle when I got a text message from Bella.

_There are people in your apartment. Should I call the cops? –B_

I laughed out loud for a few moments as thought of Bella calling the cops on my mother.

_It's Esme, she's hired painters to get the place ready for next week –E_

Next week. I still couldn't believe that next week I would be living in Seattle, across the street from my dream girl. Which reminded me of one other thing I needed to tell Bella.

_Stop peeping in my windows pervert –E_

_It's only peeping if you're naked. –B_


	17. The Fear You Won't Fall

**A/N: Here's the new chappie for all you lovely readers. I was trying to wait until I got 400 reviews, but I'm six away and the chapter was done, so I couldn't bear to hold onto it. I'm sure you all appreciate that.**

**Everyone who wants to know about Emmett's reaction to the news will have to wait one more chapter. In fact, I will probably do an Em POV for the important stuff.**

**Anyways, enjoy the chapter. Reviews are always appreciated. **

**I don't own twilight, but I do own a big container of Tim Hortons coffee that is almost gone. Oh No.**

**EPOV**

"Everything goes in apartment 501 on the top floor," my mother explained to the two movers currently standing beside the moving truck. We had arrived in front of my new home only five minutes ago, but Esme was already waiting outside, pacing nervously for our arrival in the cold Chicago air. "The service elevator is at the end of the lobby, and to the left."

The moment Emmett and I announced the move, Esme had insisted on helping in any way possible. She had painters, which Bella thought were burglars, here last Saturday and they were at Emmett's new place on Sunday. And today, she was here instructing everyon0e, while Alice did the same at Emmett's home. I was relieved that Alice ended up with Emmett because I couldn't handle her knowing I lived across the street from Bella, and she would immediately notice. I pulled out my cell phone and sent Bella a quick text as I made sure my mother wasn't watching me.

_Go to your window –E_

I grabbed two bags from the back of my car and brought them upstairs, eagerly awaiting Bella's response.

_Sexy movers. I think the one with the comb over and beer gut is hot –B_

_That's me. A lot has changed in a month –E_

_Just more of you to love, sexy –B_

I laughed happily as I looked up towards her apartment and saw her watching me, with a huge smile on her face. It took almost all of my willpower not to run up to her apartment and kiss her like I had thought of for the past thirty five days. Suddenly, Bella disappeared from view and I immediately felt Esme beside me. "Something have your attention Edward?"

"Nope." I lied, as I grabbed a box from my trunk and brought it upstairs anxiously. The movers were almost done unloading when I got another text from her.

_When do I get my dinner date? –B_

_What about tonight? I can be up there around six after I shake off Esme and take a shower –E_

_See you then –B_

I had an honest to goodness date with Bella tonight. I could even tell my mother about it, if I chose, because Alice wasn't completely against us dating. I stepped into my new living room feeling a little overwhelmed at all the boxes that were piled up. Esme was already in my bedroom, shoving my pillows into pillow cases so that when I passed out later tonight, I had a comfortable bed ready for me. I was about to go and help her when my cell phone started to buzz in my pocket. I walked towards the kitchen and flipped it open. It was Rosalie.

"Good Afternoon Rose," I said politely when I answered the phone. I was now pacing around the far side of the kitchen, desperate for my mother to not hear us at all.

"I've thought about it Edward and I think it's best to tell Emmett. Logan deserves to know his dad." Damn right he deserves to know his dad, I thought to myself as I unloaded some mugs into a cupboard in the kitchen.

"Thank god," I said with a sigh as my hand reached into another box for some plates. "I'm glad you've come to this decision, and I know it couldn't have been easy for you. Do you know when you want to do this? I think it would be best if each of you had someone there for support."

"I was thinking about all of us having brunch next Sunday. You and Emmett, and me and Alice." This sounded completely fine to me. "Once we have told Emmett, we can tell Carlisle and Esme. I want Emmett to know first and I don't want to tell everyone at once. I'm not quite sure yet when I will introduce them all to Logan, but I want to see and talk to Emmett first."

"That's fine Rosalie. I promise you won't regret this. Emmett is actually moving into his new place right now. It's in a good neighborhood, very safe, with a park nearby. I even made him get a two bedroom condo, even though I claimed he should use the spare room as a gym. I'm sure Esme will have it changed into a bedroom for Logan in no time." I was so excited; I thought my smile would crack my face. Thinking of Emmett spending time with Logan and getting to know him was going to be a wonderful thing for the Cullen Family.

"Let's just take this one step at a time Edward. I don't want you to get your hopes up, because it's still possible Emmett will want nothing to do with us when he finds out the truth," commented Rosalie. She sounded sad as she spoke these words, which made me think that she may still have feelings for Emmett. It's probably hard to get over someone when you have a little reminder of your love running around everywhere. I guess we'll find out next Sunday about how she feels. "Let's meet at Sandersons on Northwestern at 10:30 next Sunday morning, okay?" I agreed with her, and once our call was done, I entered the brunch into my iPhone so I wouldn't forget it and then I called Emmett.

"How's the move going?" I inquired with a laugh, knowing I got the better end of the deal with Esme helping me instead of Alice.

"It's been insane dude. Alice is a little slave driver. My entire apartment is almost unpacked, but I have no idea where she put anything." I laughed easily at his predicament and wondered if I should con Bella into helping me unpack tomorrow.

"So listen, we're going to brunch next Sunday with some old friends. I'll pick you up at 10." I really didn't want to get into too many specifics; for fear that he wouldn't show up. He had no idea I was talking to Rose, and I wanted to keep it that way. I didn't like the idea of blindsiding him in the restaurant, but doing everything in public was probably for the best.

"Define 'old friends' little brother?" asked Emmett as I dodged the question completely. After I practically begged, he finally agreed to come with us. So everything was set for what I was now calling 'Sunday, Bloody Sunday.' I wasn't looking forward to the shouting, arguing and possible fighting, but I was looking forward to taking my nephew to a Mariners game one day soon, so in my opinion, dealing with the first one was definitely worth it if it got me to the second one. Maybe Bella would want to come to the game with us, I thought to myself for a moment. I needed to stop thinking about her constantly.

Esme walked into the room moments later, and could immediately sense my change of mood. It was like I had my second wind, I was excited and energetic. "What's going on?"

"There is nothing going on Mom, I think perhaps you're a little testy because you haven't had your daily martini yet," I said with a laugh as she stared at me in frustration. I had teased my mother about her drinking habits on a regular basis ever since Emmett and I were joking with her a few years ago and she confused the words 'lush' and 'slut' and accidently called herself a slut. My mother was definitely a lush, but by no means a slut. At least I hoped she wasn't, and I was hoping to never going to find out.

"Call it women's intuition Edward; I know something is going on with you."

"Fine mom. I talked to Bella and we're going to go out," I said casually. Of course, Esme's face lit up, but I expected that. Especially after the way she had been pushing us together at Christmas.

"Tonight?" she asked as I nodded my head. "Well then, I should go. You need to shower and find something nice to wear. I hung up a few suits in the closet; you should wear one of those. I like the dark blue one. You look very handsome in that. Should I iron it before I go?"

"Mom, calm down. I'm going to her place for dinner. I don't need a suit okay. It's just dinner, we're not getting married. We're going to talk and eat. That's it." She looked a little disappointed in me, no doubt hoping that our first official date would be some grand affair like I had thought, but it didn't matter.

"Okay Edward, but I expect to get a call tomorrow letting me know if you are going out again, and be nice to her. She just got out of a long term relationship." I nodded at my mother in acknowledgement of her words and then she grabbed her purse and stepped into the hallway, giving me a kiss on the cheek before she left. As I closed the door behind me, I leaned against it and slid down until I was sitting on the floor. I pulled out my cell phone and quickly text Bella.

_Esme knows we have a date. Kill me –E_

I didn't get a response from her for almost an hour, but she called instead of texting me back. She had stepped out grocery shopping to pick up a few last minute things for dinner tonight and informed me that dinner wouldn't be ready till at least six thirty.

"Would you mind if I came over a bit early?" I asked curiously. I was missing her dreadfully and wanted to hook up a zip line between my bedroom and hers so that I could get to her faster. I'm sure the City of Seattle wouldn't agree to zoning for that one though.

"No, it's no problem Edward. Come over whenever you're ready," she said sweetly as we finished our conversation and I folded up a few boxes before heading into the shower.

I was standing outside Bella's door around six, holding a small bouquet of flowers I had managed to pick up down at the local florist just before they closed. For the first time I was actually missing L.A. where you could find an open flower shop at midnight down on Melrose. Not that I ever bought any, but I knew they were there.

"Good Evening Mr. Cullen," said Bella sweetly as she opened her door and let me in.

"Nice to see you again Miss Swan," I replied as I leaned in and gave her a sweet peck on the cheek. I handed her the small bouquet of lilies and smiled brightly as she blushed at my gesture. Bella stepped back into her kitchen to take care of something on the stove, as I moved forward into the main room, surveying the surroundings. I had never been in Bella's place before, and it was very casual and lived in. She was probably very comfortable here. She had pictures on the wall of her family and friends, mostly of her and Alice and as I walked towards her bookshelf, I noticed that it was so filled with books that there were dozens lying on the floor in front of it. As I checked out some of the photos on her desk, I noticed a little one of Logan, sitting on Santa's knee. "When did you get this one?" I asked curiously as I held it up and she turned from the stove to look at me.

"That was last Christmas, he was four. It was shortly after they moved back to town," she replied casually as she opened a different pot and began stirring something that smelled wonderful. I moved across the living room and was about to sit on the couch when I remembered her previous comments about Jacob having sex on it. I opted to walk back towards her and sat on a kitchen chair as I watched her finish dinner.

"So, when do we get to burn the couch?"

**BPOV**

The moment Edward showed up at my door clutching the lilies, I knew I was done for. He looked so sexy, yet adorable at the same time. I was definitely falling in love with this guy and we'd only known each other for less than two months. Of course, I said nothing of the sort and let him into my small apartment. He kissed me gently on the cheek, which considering how tame it was, made my panties wet. At least, it would have if I had been wearing any.

Edward wandered around the living room for a little bit, checking out photos of the family and he found one of Logan on my desk from last Christmas. I wish I had known then what I knew now, things would be drastically different, but then again, I might not have Edward. I couldn't even consider that as something I wanted. I needed him with me always.

"So, when do we get to burn the couch?" he called out as he sat on a dining room chair instead of my living room sofa. I laughed heartily as I glanced at the couch.

"Sorry babe, this is a brand new couch. I got rid of it last weekend. In fact, I was having my couch delivered when I noticed the people in your apartment," I replied as Edward looked somewhat relieved.

"The couch is a virgin?" he said with a laugh as he continued to watch me make dinner.

"That's one way of putting it. Would you mind getting the wine from the fridge? I have glasses over in the sideboard in the dining room." Edward walked to the sideboard first and pulled out two wide wine glasses and then grabbed the wine. It was only a few minutes later that I was serving dinner and we were sitting at the table, grinning at each other stupidly.

"I think I should propose a toast," said Edward as he lifted up his glass towards me. I followed his lead and waited for him to speak as my glass almost touched his. "To the start of something magical." I nodded my head in agreement as our classes clinked and I smiled brightly.

"So, how did the drive go?" I asked curiously as I took a bite of my garlic chicken. I had thought for days about what to make him for dinner, deciding on chicken, asparagus with hollandaise sauce and baked potatoes. It wasn't fancy, but I was good at making everything, so it tasted wonderful. Edward clearly agreed because he was moaning in pleasure before he spoke.

"It was slow and arduous. I thought about you the entire time, which only made me drive faster. Thank god I didn't get any tickets," he laughed as he reached over and grabbed my hand. I felt a little spark and he must have noticed it too, because he looked up from his dinner and was practically staring into my soul with his deep emerald eyes. "Oh, the big news of the day… Rosalie called me."

"No shit," I said in complete surprise. "What did she have to say?"

"We are going to breakfast next Sunday. Me, her, Alice and Emmett. She has decided to tell Emmett about Logan, thank god. I was petrified to break the news to him myself, but I was resolved to do it if it came to that." Edward was always completely serious when he spoke about Rosalie and Emmett these days. Not that I blamed him, there was nothing funny about the situation, but it was such a change from his normal personality that sometimes it made me feel a bit disconcerted.

"Are you going to meet Logan soon?" I asked curiously as he dropped his fork and ran his fingers through his hair.

"She wants to talk to Emmett first and get a feel for the situation. She really doesn't want to thrust Logan into the middle of all the tension, so I think she wants everyone to be calm about it. I don't blame her though; I'm relieved she doesn't want to bring Logan to brunch with us." When Edward mentioned the brunch, I knew it was a great idea to get them all together, especially with someone there to support them.

"Hold the phone, when are you going to brunch?" I asked, suddenly remembering a recent call I had with Rose.

"Next Sunday at 10:30."

"I'm babysitting for her. She called this morning and asked me if I could come over and watch him because her usual babysitter was at church." I was surprised I hadn't put it together sooner, but I was glad I would be there for him. He was going to have a difficult time adjusting from not having a father, to having a father, an uncle, an aunt and a set of awesome grandparents.

"Damn it. Now I wish I was with you next Sunday morning," laughed Edward as he squeezed my hand tightly in his. I reassured Edward that he would see Logan soon enough and he simply nodded in agreement. The rest of dinner was very relaxed and we talked about anything but our family issues. He told me about how Emmett had forced him to watch a pirated version of Wolverine and the quality sucked so bad, he didn't want to see it in the theatres, which I found funny, because Edward had told me of his previous love of anything X-Men related up at the cabin.

Once we were finished dinner, we left all the dishes soaking in the sink and cuddled up on my new, oversized couch, listening to Joshua Radin. He had become a favorite of ours lately. He was playing when we celebrated Christmas together and when we had phone sex, he was like our own sex music, which made me giggle. Edward and I were lying on the couch together on our sides, wrapped up in each other's arms with my back against the couch.

"I missed this," he said sweetly as he kissed my neck gently. "And I missed this too," this time kissing my collarbone.

"Well, I missed this," I said as I undid a button on his shirt and kissed his chest sweetly. We both knew where this was leading us, but we were taking our time. "I also missed this," I added as I kissed his lips and ran my fingers through his soft hair.

"Whenever I missed you, I always listened to 'The Fear You Won't Fall'." Edward admitted as he pulled me in for a deeper kiss. I reached for the remote for my stereo and quickly changed the song and immediately started to sing along quietly to it. I wasn't anywhere close to a good singer, but Edward didn't care. He saw the sweetness in the gesture.

_I know you're scared that I'll soon be over it,  
that's part of it all,  
part of the beauty of falling in love with you,  
is the fear you won't fall_

it hasn't felt like this before  
it hasn't felt like home...before you

And I know it's easy to say, but it's harder to feel this way  
And I miss you more than I should, than I thought I could,  
I can't get my mind off of you  


When the song had stopped, I leaned forward and brushed my lips gently along his. "I missed you so much Edward. You need to promise we won't be apart for another month," I admitted sadly as I shoved my head into his shoulder, trying my best not to cry. Edward grabbed my shoulders gently and pushed me back from him, his fingers lifting my chin up so that I was staring into his eyes.

"Never again Bella. I promise." Edward kissed me sweetly before moving from the couch and standing up. He offered his hand to me and I took it greedily as he led me towards my bedroom. I had never wanted to be in my bed more in my life. Edward wrapped his arms around me tightly, moving me back towards the bed until I felt my knees against my quilt. I sat down and reached up, desperate to get his button down shirt from his body, but Edward backed away from me the moment his shirt fell to the ground.

"What's wrong?" I asked as he stood against the wall, with me still on the bed.

"Nothing is wrong sweetheart. I just wanted to look at how beautiful you are." I blushed a deep shade of pink and walked towards Edward.

"Sit on the bed Edward," I said forcefully, as I grabbed his hand and pulled him from the wall. Once he was seated, I kneeled before him and pulled off his socks and pants, leaving him in just his boxers, his hard cock straining against the cotton. "Don't move."

I leaned back on my ankles and stood up quickly, walking away from him to put on some music. I didn't even care what it was; I just wanted to hear something. Once the sounds of Van Morrison filled the air, I walked back towards Edward and slowly untied the tie of my wrap dress, sliding it sensually from me as I was left naked. I knew Edward and I would be together tonight, and I grinned as he gasped when he saw I was naked under the dress.

"All night? You were naked?" he stammered as I moved closer to him and simply nodded my head. "Fuck Bella, you should have told me."

"You should have found out for yourself Edward," I chastised as I straddled his waist and pushed him back onto the bed. "Now, you have two choices tonight… make love to me or fuck me for teasing you for the past month while you were away." I watched as Edward's eyes grew wide, clearly contemplating what he wanted from me.

"Can't I have both?" he begged greedily.

"Maybe. Pick one, and if you're a good boy, I'll give you the other one," I replied as I teased him by biting his nipple. "Have you made a decision yet?" I asked as I leaned forward and began sucking on his neck furiously; no doubt leaving a hickey that would be visible in the morning.

"Yes, I have," he replied as he grabbed my hips and lifted me off of him. Edward stood up and laid me on the bed on my back, my legs dangling off the edge until he grabbed my ankles in his hands and lifted them up. "Fucking first," he replied with a grin as he leaned forward and licked my clit for a moment, my ankles still grasped firmly in his hands.

I ran my hands through his hair and tugged gently as his motions on my clit sped up. "Edward, I need you," I panted eagerly after only a few minutes of him assaulting my pussy with his tongue. I felt one finger slip in between my lips and he licked it enthusiastically as I motioned towards the nightstand where I had put a new box of condoms in anticipation for night and many other nights to come. He grabbed one out of the box and handed it to me.

"Put it on me Bella," he instructed as I sat up slightly and ripped open the package, rolling the latex around him. "On your back." I listened intently to his words, missing his forceful bedroom voice for the past few weeks. It had been unbearable to not have him pleasuring me, and before I could even consider another thought, he thrust himself deep inside me, leaving me gasping for air.

"Holy shit," I screamed out as he moved his hands from my ankles to my thighs, where he put pressure against them, holding me open wider for him.

"You are so damned beautiful Bella," he exclaimed as he pounded his cock inside me. Although the sweet talk was lovely, I thought it was a bit much as he took me. He wasn't gentle, but I was desperate for release, so I told him so.

"Edward, harder baby," I screamed out as my finger reached between us and I began rubbing my clit feverishly. It had been so hard without him; I knew I wouldn't be able to handle it again. I should have just made him move in here, I thought to myself as my head started to thrash back and forth in pleasure. It was only a few minutes later than I heard Edward moaning my name over and over again as he came deep inside of me, bringing forth my own orgasm.

He repositioned us on the bed so that we were wrapped up together in my quilt and I looked down at him and smiled sincerely. I was falling desperately in love with this guy, and I couldn't do anything to help it. He was everything I didn't know I was looking for. "What are you thinking about?" I asked as I heard him laugh lightly, his warm breath on my shoulder.

"I was just wondering if I was going to get permission for round two."


	18. Sunday Bloody Sunday

**A/N: I wanted to update my other story today, but the words came for this one a lot easier, so here is a new chapter. Enjoy and review your little hearts out. There will obviously be a bit more Emmett in the next couple of chapters, but I promise this is definitely a Bella and Edward story. I don't think I could write anything but.**

**I don't own twilight, but I do now have three boxes packed to ship to Canada. Yeah me.**

**EPOV**

Today was the day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, as I had called it all week. Bella hadn't thought it was a very good nickname, but I was honestly expecting bloodshed when Rosalie finally told Emmett about Logan. My Saturday night date with Bella ended around three on Sunday afternoon when we both realized we had stuff to do, which involved leaving the comfort of her bedroom. I had spent most of the night making love to her and when we finally fell asleep at four in the morning, we were both exhausted. We never did get to break in her couch like I had planned the moment she said she got a new one, but there was still plenty of time. Unfortunately, thanks to the demands of opening a new office, Bella and I didn't get to spend a great deal of time together during the week, but we had agreed to dinner at my place on Sunday night, once Bella was done babysitting Logan.

As we pulled up in front of Sanders in my Volvo, I glanced down at the clock and saw it was already quarter after ten. Rosalie had made reservations under the name 'Cullen' in order to not confuse Emmett, but he was still very curious about everything. We both agreed that if Emmett knew who he was meeting, he might not come. Emmett had spent most of the past week asking me who we were going out with, which annoyed me to no end. During our meetings with the interior designer for the interior of our offices, he was the most obnoxious. I ended up lying to him and saying it was some guys from the Forks High football team and he finally relented until he saw Alice walk into the restaurant and join our table for four.

"Is this is an intervention or something?" laughed Em as he sat down, after hugging Alice gently.

"Nope, sorry Em," giggled Alice nervously was she ordered a mimosa from our waiter. "Our other guest is running a bit late. She should be here pretty soon." I nodded quietly at Alice as Emmett glared at both of us in confusion.

"Okay, so there are no football players coming," sighed Emmett as Alice stared at me with one eye brow raised. "Are you guys setting me up on a blind date or something? I know we just got to town and everything, but I think I can handle myself where women are concerned."

"You didn't tell him?" asked Alice incredulously as she took a big sip of her drink and stared at me angrily. I immediately wished we had made plans for lunch so that I could drink myself into a stupor, but that would defeat the purpose of me being here as moral support for my older brother.

"He wouldn't have come otherwise, Alice," I stated firmly as Emmett placed his hands down on the table forcefully.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here," yelled Emmett as he turned to walk away from the table and ran straight into Rosalie. I had noticed her walk in a few moments earlier, waving at a couple of people in the restaurant. From the look of things, we were clearly on Rose's turf, which was a smart move on her part.

"Good Morning Emmett," she said cautiously as she nodded at Alice and me genuinely. Rose looked great this morning in a pair of jeans and a white knitted sweater, but she also looked extremely nervous and once she sat down, she ordered herself a mimosa as well. "Thanks for joining us."

"I didn't have much choice. Edward here lied to me all week about this brunch."

"That's my fault," she explained tentatively as she fingered the menu for a moment. I'm sure she didn't even need to look inside to know what she wanted; she seemed all too familiar with the location. "When I asked Edward to arrange the meeting, I thought if you knew you were meeting me, you wouldn't have come."

"I would have come. Although I'm very interested in knowing how long you have been talking to my brother." Thankfully, Rosalie never got a chance to answer as Tyler, our waiter, approached and had a big smile for Rose.

"Morning Rosie. Where's Logan?" asked Tyler as he glanced around the area and Emmett tensed up beside me.

"He's busy with a friend this morning," she replied easily, and then there was no further mention of Logan. We all took turns ordering our meals, and of course Rosalie ordered 'the usual', which I had expected. Once Tyler had walked away from the table, Alice started us into a conversation about what we had been up to since high school. I was certain she had probably told Rosalie all about Emmett and me, but we explained anyways. Emmett never did have a chance previously to tell her about his life in L.A. and he hadn't heard anything about Rose's life in Ithaca, so she explained everything in painstaking detail, leaving out the most important part of course, Logan.

"How is the new place?" I asked Emmett, in honest curiosity to break up some of the awkward silence that had formed. I hadn't been inside his new place since I put an offer down on it for him.

"It's fine. Lonely, but fine. I actually enjoyed living with you man," he replied as he punched me in the shoulder playfully.

"Don't worry dude, we'll set up like weekly Xbox dates so that I can come over and kick your ass on Need for Speed." Emmett scoffed as I caught a smile on Rosalie's face. Perhaps she was seeing that he had, in fact, changed for the better. He had been remarkably well behaved all through brunch, even though I was getting antsy as to when Rosalie was going to talk to him, seeing as we were almost done eating. A few minutes later, an older gentleman approached our table and greeted Rosalie like they were family.

"We missed you around here Rosie. Where's Logan?" he asked sincerely as Rosalie suddenly reached into her purse for a piece of paper, but didn't show it to anyone.

"He's at home with my friend Bella. We're doing an adults only breakfast today John," she replied, as she began to nervously fiddle with her napkin.

"Well, bring him around soon. Minnie and I miss that little guy; she even bought a little fire truck for him to play with at the table. She thought it might keep him out of the kitchen for once," John said with a heavy laugh as Emmett's face fell slightly. As I glanced over at Emmett, I sensed this wasn't going to go well. Once John left, Emmett turned back towards Rosalie immediately.

"You have a son?" he asked, looking somewhat sad. Suddenly Rosalie reached onto her lap and pulled out the piece of paper she had taken from her purse and slid it along the top of the table towards Emmett. He picked it up and stared at it for a moment before a light went off in his head. He knew the next words out of her mouth before she even said them.

"No Emmett. _We_ have a son."

**EMPOV**

I was reluctant to go out to this stupid breakfast with Edward the moment he mentioned it, and when I saw Alice stroll in, I knew I had been had. I didn't know what the hell they were doing to me though. I had been on my best behavior since arriving in Seattle and when they started talking, I got up to leave out of sheer fury, especially when they acted like I wasn't even sitting with him.

I was fucking floored though when I stood to leave and ran smack dab into Rosalie Hale, the only girl I had ever loved. To say she had broken my heart when we split was probably the understatement of the century. She tried to call me for almost a year, and I never answered the phone once. She even sent me mail on a few occasions, but I threw every last one of them out, not once bothering to open them. It took a lot of work to convince Edward just to let the entire situation be, even though he saw how much it hurt me during my first year at school. However, standing right in front of her, feeling her breath on my face, just reminded me of all those feelings that I had kept hidden for almost six years. Unfortunately for me, I was glutton for punishment and took my seat next to my brother, and across from jezebel herself.

I listened intently to every word that came from her mouth, even though I felt a serious ache for her. It was just like it had been when we broke up, except amplified ten times worse because she had grown up to be a successful engineer and was just as gorgeous as I remembered her. I noticed my fingers twitch, desperate to touch her hair again, remembering that it always smelled like strawberries, but I slipped my hands under the table to keep anyone from noticing.

I kept glaring over at Edward in anger for dragging me here and making me relive every single emotion I had tried to force away for so long. I was going to need some serious booze tonight, I thought to myself. Everything got worse when people kept visiting our table asking about some guy named Logan. He was no doubt her boyfriend or something, because I noticed she wasn't wearing a ring. In fact, there wasn't even a hint of an indentation on her finger, so she had never married. When John, the owner of the restaurant mentioned Logan again before our bill arrived, and talked about fire trucks in the same sentence, I thought my mouth was going to drop open and hit the table with a loud thud. She had a fucking kid. Just my luck. She wanders back into my life, at the insistence of Alice and Edward it seemed, and she was single, but not really. I definitely didn't want to get involved with a woman with a kid. I loved kids, and always saw myself as a great father one day, but I didn't think that day was today.

When John stepped away from our table finally, I said the only thing that came to mind. "Do you have a son?" I'm sure I looked disappointed as I said this, because even though I was still heartbroken over Rosalie, sitting with her now reminded me of everything great we had for three years in high school and I missed that terribly. I watched intently as she slipped a small piece of paper in front of me along the table and I glanced down at a photo. This must have been Logan, and he looked just like me.

"No Emmett. _We_ have a son."

"What the fuck did you just say?" I yelled out so loudly that a few of the other patrons turned around in disgust at me. I didn't give a shit at that particular moment about other people's reactions though. I watched as Alice grabbed Rose's hand, as though she was supporting her. Alice fucking knew too. When I looked over at Edward, he looked sympathetic towards me, but had a smile on his face. "You both fucking knew and never told me? How long have you guys known?"

"I only found out on Christmas night," replied Edward anxiously as I gripped my hands into fists tightly beneath the table. I wished I was at the gym in front of my punching bag so that I could beat that crap out of it, in an effort to release all of my frustrations.

"I've known since last year," said Alice as she hung her head, obviously in shame. I couldn't even look at any of them I was so livid. Instead, I stared down at the small picture of a boy who looked like just me when I was five, except he had blonde curly hair instead of brown.

"I spent over a year trying to get in touch with you Emmett, but you refused to take my calls or return any of my letters. I even sent a sonogram picture with one of the letters," said Rosalie, sounding desperate. I looked up at her and clenched my eyes tightly as I glared at her. "Don't be mad at Alice. She found out by accident when I called her to make sure you weren't living here in Seattle."

"Oh so I shouldn't be mad at my precious sister for keeping my son away from me for a year," I yelled again. "Don't worry. I'm not as mad at Alice as I am at you Rosalie. Why didn't you call my parents and tell them? They would have gotten in touch with me at school. They would have helped out any way they could. Five fucking years," I stammered in frustration as I stopped to think for a moment. "He's almost six isn't he?" I asked of Rosalie, who simply nodded her head as a tear fell down her face.

"When I found out, I begged her to tell you. If she wasn't going to do it, I was." Edward was trying to make himself look better in this situation, but it didn't make a difference. He's known for a month and a half and never mentioned it once.

"I've missed six years," I said as I put my head into my hands. I wanted to cry and scream and shout more four letter words at the top of my lungs, but I didn't. "Do Mom and Dad know?"

"No," said Alice curtly.

"What do you want from me?" I asked Rosalie forcefully. "Is it money? There must be some reason you felt compelled to tell me after six years. I doubt you're doing this out of the goodness of your black fucking heart." Rosalie looked up at me with complete shock, and I was pleased I had apparently struck a cord with her.

"Do you honestly think I give a shit about money? Logan and I have done wonderful together without you Emmett. I just realized it's not fair for him to live without his father, or his uncle or grandparents for that matter."

"Oh, but it's fair to keep him away from his father for six fucking years. I would have married you and done the right thing. I would have been a great dad," I screamed at her, when I realized the last words that have come out of my mouth were incorrect. "I will be a great dad. When can I meet him?"

"When you calm down," said Alice as she interrupted what I felt like was a private conversation between me and the woman who had kept my son from me.

"I don't think it's your place to decide anything Alice. Don't you think you have caused me enough heartache to last a lifetime? I lost a year because of you Alice, because you sided with Rosalie instead of your older brother. I'm sure Mom and Dad will feel the same way I do towards both of you," I replied furiously as I stared at both women.

"I think you should let this set in for a bit Emmett. Perhaps we can make arrangements with Rosalie to take Logan to the park or something next weekend?" suggested Edward. "Of course, you would come with us Rosalie." He added as she nodded her head in agreement.

"I want to make this a smooth transition for Logan, his well being is the most important thing Emmett, so you need to realize that," explained Rosalie as though she thought I was a moron. Of course I knew he was the most important thing. As of today, he was the only important thing in my life. My mind started to wander as everyone else talked about the situation and I tuned them out. If Rosalie was going to continue to keep Logan from me, I determined then and there I would fight her for custody. Surely the courts would side with me, who had been kept from his life for six years. Rosalie left us shortly after the bill was paid, explaining that her babysitter was only available until two and we quickly exchanged numbers to make arrangements to meet next Saturday.

As Edward and I walked out to the car, I suddenly realized something very important. "Is this why I have a two bedroom?" I asked curiously as he unlocked the car and I slid into the passenger seat.

"Yeah. I'm really sorry I kept this from you, but I gave Rosie an ultimatum to tell you by the time you moved to town or else I would tell you. I wasn't going to keep this from you," explained Edward as he reversed the car and turned out onto the street.

"It's okay. I know you tried. Alice and Rosalie on the other hand are definitely on my shit list. How the fuck am I going to tell mom and dad they are grandparents? Mom is going to be so disappointed she never knew about him before," I stammered in frustration as I thought about all the moments me and my family had lost because of this. "What do you know about him?"

"Bella is babysitting him right now actually. She says he's a great kid, very smart. He likes baseball and fire trucks," said Edward genuinely as a smile grew across his face. "I thought we could take him to a Mariners game in the spring. I'm certain he'd like that."

"Yeah, I'd like that too."

**BPOV**

My morning with Logan was a lot more fun than I had initially imagined, but I felt bad enjoying this time with him, while Edward couldn't. Not yet anyways. Logan made me watch several episodes of Handy Manny while we built various monstrosities using every single piece of Lego that he owned, and there were thousands. Rosalie was constantly encouraging the engineer in him.

"Auntie Bella, do you have a boyfriend?" asked Logan curiously as we dismantled one of the buildings to use the pieces on the castle he was now trying to build.

"What do you know about boyfriends?" I asked with a laugh as Logan giggled at me and put his hands over his eyes in embarrassment.

"My friend Teddy told me that when girls like boys, they become girlfriend and boyfriend. Can I be your boyfriend?" Logan was absolutely the most precious kid I had ever met. He was such a little ladies man, just like his daddy and his uncle, I laughed to myself.

"Sure Logan, you can be my boyfriend," I said sweetly as I kissed his head and he blushed, turning back to the Lego and forgetting the conversation ever happened. It was just before one in the afternoon when Rosalie finally wandered in the front door, looking frazzled. Logan jumped from the floor and ran straight to her, enveloping her in a big hug as he kissed her cheek and told her everything we had done during the day. Once Logan was back on the couch, completely immersed in an episode of Go Diego Go, Rosalie and I walked into the kitchen to talk.

"How did it go?" I asked curiously as she grabbed a beer from the fridge, offering it to me first. I refused, and she popped the cap open and took a big drink before finally answering my question.

"It was awkward, heartbreaking and the most painful thing I have ever experienced besides child birth," she replied honestly as she took another drink. "He wants to meet him next weekend. We're going to try to make arrangements for him and Edward to meet him, with me present of course."

"Well, that's a step in the right direction," I said kindly as looked over at Logan on the couch, who was currently enjoying a Capri-Sun.

"I just hope I'm doing right by him," explained Rosalie with a sad inflection to her voice. "Emmett was crushed I didn't tell him about Logan. He'd definitely fight me for custody if it came to that."

"What did you think of Emmett though?" I asked curiously.

"He's matured definitely. He's smart, but still has a potty mouth on him and damn Bella if I didn't fall for him all over again the moment I saw him. I'm royally screwed." I nodded my head in agreement, she was definitely in trouble. I offered up a sweet hug and a few more minutes of conversation before I headed to the living room and gave Logan a big hug and a kiss before I left.

"See you soon, girlfriend," he giggled at me as I smiled brightly and left the apartment. As I walked down the stairs towards my car, I reached into my pocket for my cell phone and found a text message from Edward awaiting me.

_Brunch was semi-successful. When will you be home? –E_

_I'm leaving Rosie's as I type this; you have competition for me now. –B_

I laughed as I wrote the text and it was only five minutes later that Edward suddenly called me, instead of responding to me via text. "I have competition? How the hell do I have competition?" he asked, sounding very frustrated, which just made me giggle harder at him.

"Oh calm down. Your nephew is a ladies' man and he wants me to be his girlfriend. He's going to be a heartbreaker one day, just like his sexy uncle," I explained with a laugh as I heard Edward release a deep breath.

"That I can handle. He's only five and I have moves he can't even comprehend," said Edward seductively as he asked where I was.

"I'm ten minutes away. Should I just come up to your place?" I asked curiously as I waited at a stop light anxious to be back with him after almost a week of being apart.

"Yes please," he shouted into the phone. "Is there any chance you can come up naked?"


	19. Fruit Loops

**A/N: I'm glad everyone took the reveal to Emmett so well. The reviews were awesome as per usual and I promise Logan will continue to be a little ladies man. I picture him like one of my friend's sons, who was the world's biggest flirt when he was five. There will probably be a few more EMPOV's as well, but not in this chapter.**

**I hope everyone enjoys, and I apologize if it's a bit on the short side. Life happens and all that crap right?**

**I don't own twilight, but I do have a two year old who is obsessed with our toilet today.**

**BPOV**

The next few days were a blur of meetings with prospective authors and it wasn't until I got to my office after lunch, that I even realized the date. February 14th. I probably would have forgotten about it completely, had it not been for a bouquet of white roses sitting in the middle of my desk when I returned after a quiet lunch out with some friends from the office.

"Damn, someone has a special night planned," laughed Ellie as I leaned forward and smelled the flowers, reaching for the card and holding it tenderly in my hands.

"Actually I have no plans. My boyfriend and I have been so busy lately, we never made any plans," I explained honestly as I blushed at using the term 'boyfriend'. It was one of the first chances I had been able to say it. As I got comfortable in my office chair, Ellie and Simon excused themselves and smiled brightly as they left me alone to read my card.

_Sorry I forgot_

_Dinner at 7, dress semi-formal_

_Edward_

Well it wasn't the romantic note I was hoping for, but the gesture was definitely there, and at least I had plans. It sure beats sitting around in my pajamas and eating a pint of Ben & Jerry's which is what I did last year because Jacob had been out of town. As I flipped open my email and started to go through the six messages I had received while out at lunch, I suddenly realized I had nothing special to wear, so I did the only logical thing and I called Alice.

"You sound so frazzled, what's going on?" Alice asked calmly as I struggled to find the right words to say to her.

"I have plans for tonight, but I need something semi-formal to wear. You've seen my wardrobe, any suggestions?" I asked anxiously, trying not to give away too many details, but knowing full well Alice would require complete disclosure in order to help me.

"Not really, I guess you could wear… um… what about… shit, no that won't work either. What time is your date? Do we have time to go out after work to get you something?" she asked curiously as I noticed she didn't ask who I was going out with.

"It's at seven, so by the time I get home and everything, I won't have time. Maybe I'll just pretend I have food poisoning and head on over to BCBG down the street, they must have something right?" I inquired as Alice was actually pleased with my choice of store. It's not somewhere I would usually frequent, but it was on my way home technically, so it's not like I was going out of my way. Once the call was finished, I was relieved Alice hadn't quizzed me about my date. She knew I wanted to go out with Edward, but she didn't know we already had and since we wanted to take things relatively slow, we hadn't told her yet. This was Edward's decision not mine. I wanted to tell her, as my best friend, that I had found someone special.

It was only an hour later that I walked into my boss's office, feigning illness and being let go a bit early. It was only an hour and a half, but I was certain I could find something suitable in that time. The store was relatively busy, seeming to be filled with other women who didn't have the perfect outfit for Valentine's Day. When I walked in carrying my vase with my flowers, Cindy, the sales person put them off to the side and immediately helped me for the next thirty minutes. I ended up deciding on a really nice knee length red jersey knit dress. It had a plunging neckline and was practically backless, so I couldn't wear a bra, but I thought it was sexy yet sophisticated. I wasn't sure where we were going to dinner, but this was Edward and he was probably going all out, especially since we hadn't seen each other since the Sunday we had brunch with Rosalie, Alice and Emmett.

When I finally got into my apartment, it was almost five and I felt pressured to get ready. I took a quick shower, hoping to relax, but it didn't work. I did my hair, makeup and got dressed in what seemed like record time, but I as I looked at the clock it was 6:49pm. I was only ten minutes early. I spent the rest of the time cleaning up the apartment a bit and I was starting a load of laundry when Edward finally knocked on the door, looking like he just came from work. He was extremely handsome in a suit, and I hadn't seen him look so nice before.

"You clean up good," I said with a nervous wink as I grabbed my black wool pea coat and my purse, before closing the door behind me.

"I'd say the same to you, but I honestly think you look better in nothing at all," he whispered gently to me as I felt goose bumps form all over my body. I did my best to ignore the thought and walked with him down the hall, feeling his hands intertwine in mine.

We walked casually to his car, which was parked in front of my building, and I tried to find out from him where we were going to dinner, but he wouldn't budge. He would talk about every other topic, including finally meeting Logan in two days, but he never once mentioned where we were going. I felt a quick pang of anxiety when I noticed we were at Pike's Market, and heading straight towards a restaurant I had gone to with Jacob a couple of times, called 'Shea's'. Of course, Edward didn't need to know this. He had no idea that I had been here before, and I planned to keep it that way. There was no way I was ruining this night.

As we walked in, Edward gave his name to the hostess who promptly seated us at a table by the window that had lovely views of the Olympic Mountains. "Esme recommended this place, so if you don't like it, please blame her," he said with a laugh as we both picked up our menus and began to review them.

"I'm sure it will be fine Edward," I offered up a reassurance, knowing full well their food was actually excellent. I had to laugh as Edward and I ended up ordering the exact same meal of Asparagus Soup and Beef Tenderloin. "So I told Alice I had a date tonight and she was remarkably subdued. She offered some clothing suggestions, but never asked who I was going out with."

"That's odd, but to be expected. I talked to her yesterday and she told me things were a little better with Jasper, but they still hadn't reconciled. It was possible that she just had a lot on her mind. It sucks to be alone on Valentine's," said Edward thoughtfully as I quickly recalled last year and then tried to push the image from my mind.

"So, when was your best valentines?" I asked curiously as he rubbed his chin and started to think for a few minutes.

"Well, since this is my first actual date on Valentine's Day, I'm going to say today," laughed Edward as I scowled at him.

"That's not fair. Pick anything but today," I stammered in frustration as he took a sip of his merlot and began to think again.

"Umm… in grade nine there was a Valentine's Day dance at school and I felt up Caroline Murphy. That was pretty special. What about you?" I laughed at the ease at which he mentioned feeling up a fellow classmate as I tried to think of my own favorite.

"In third grade I got a Scooby Doo Valentine from Jason Jacks. I had a HUGE crush on him. We even went out on a few dates in high school, but nothing ever happened. I still have that Valentine though because I thought it was the cutest thing ever," I said with a sad sigh. It was pretty pathetic that my best Valentine's memory was in the third grade.

"Perhaps we can make tonight a little more memorable than a Scooby Doo Valentine," chuckled Edward as he reached over and grabbed my hand softly in his.

"Well that will be tough Edward. He also gave me a box of candy hearts. You have some big shoes to fill," I replied sarcastically as he kissed my hand I involuntarily moaned. It was just a fricking hand kiss Bella, calm down. My mood was quelled only moments later when our waiter brought our soups and a big plate of bread and I immediately began to devour it greedily. Edward looked at me with a hint of concern, but focused on his soup as well. The rest of our conversation during dinner was just as casual. We talked about how the new office was progressing and he offered me a tour tomorrow, if I was interested. I told him about lunch with my co-workers earlier in the day and how I faked an illness to get out early to buy a new dress, which made him snicker.

When it was time to finally leave, Edward ordered our dessert to go. "I was thinking we could go back to my place and relax for a little bit," he suggested as I smiled happily and let him help me with my coat. We drove back to his apartment in relative silence, our hands practically welded together over the console of his Volvo.

"So, what do you have in mind for tonight?" I asked curiously as Edward took my coat and hung it into the closet with his. I was clearly going to be here for a while, I thought to myself as I crossed into his living room and admired everything he had done to the place. I hadn't been to his place since the initial visit, and it was stunning.

Edward noticed me checking everything out as he stepped over the fireplace and lit it easily. "You can thank Esme for the work done in here. She painted and basically designed everything. The furniture was all mine from California, but of course, she picked it out back then too," he said with a nervous laugh.

"It's awesome," I replied sincerely as I sat down on the loveseat beside the fireplace and watched him, a little awe. "Were you a boy scout?"

"Hardly," he said with a nervous chuckle. "We went camping a lot when we were younger with my dad. Some of my best memories were camping with him and Emmett out in Olympic National Park." As Edward continued to talk about his youth, I realized that other than our time at the cabin, we hadn't really spent a ton of time getting to know one another. I knew about his work and his family, and I knew he had an adorable indent on his hip he said came from a bike riding accident with Emmett when he was eight, but I didn't know anything else.

"Can we do what I want to do tonight?" I asked calmly as he came and sat beside me on the love seat.

"Sure, whatever you want to do, we can do it," he said sweetly as he leaned forward and began to kiss my neck. The moment his lips touched my skin, I felt shivers everywhere on my body, so I immediately pulled back.

"I think we should take a step back. I don't know much about you Edward, and I want this," I said, motioning my hands back and forth between us. "I want it to be able to last, so I think we should get to know one another. You know, all the first date crap, even though we're two and a half months into a relationship." Edward nodded his head slowly and stood from the couch, not looking the least bit dejected, which made me smile.

"How about we put on some comfy clothes and curl up in front of the fire, I have some white wine chilling in the fridge and we can talk about anything you want to talk about," he suggested as he outstretched his hand and I took it easily.

As he led me into his bedroom, I immediately walked over to the window and glanced down at my apartment. I had left the kitchen light on, so my bedroom window had a small sliver of light shining out of it. It looked so different from this point of view, I thought to myself, as Edward came up behind me and wrapped me in his arms, his chin resting on my shoulder.

"I look out at your place every night when I can't be with you," he mentioned casually as I started to blush.

"Sounds boring as hell," I said with a laugh.

"Well it's not like I spend hours looking, but sometimes I see you," Edward said with a snicker as I turned around, looking at him in shock. "What? I'm not allowed to look?"

"Depends on what you are seeing."

"Only the most beautiful girl in the world."

EPOV

I was a little disappointed that Bella only wanted to spend the evening talking, but she had been right in her intentions. We had barely talked about anything other than our jobs, family and lackluster romantic relationships since we had gotten together. After staring out the window for a few moments, I wandered to my dresser and pulled out an old t-shirt and a pair of boxer shorts for Bella to get comfortable in. I left them on the bed and strolled into the bathroom where I usually kept my track pants and my favorite ragged Alice in Chains t-shirt and got changed quickly.

"Are you decent?" I asked through the door before I interrupted something she would be embarrassed about, thus ruining our evening.

"Yeah, I'm fine," sighed Bella as I slowly opened the door and found her already heading into the living room, looking like sex personified in my old clothes. I was even more pleased when I noticed the shirt I had given her, my old track shirt that said 'Cullen' across the back. Oh, how I wished I had known her in high school I thought to myself as several dirty thoughts crossed my mind. I calmed myself down and walked into the living room, where I found Bella rearranging furniture. She had pushed the coffee table away from the center of the room and was trying to move the couch closer to the fireplace.

"Do you need help?" I asked with a nervous laugh as she glared at me.

"No, I'm good. Give me a moment to get angry and I'll turn green, sprout huge muscles and I'll be able to move this monstrosity all by myself," she said sarcastically as I grabbed the other end of the couch and helped her.

"Please don't turn into the incredible hulk, that is so not sexy," I said with a laugh as Bella grabbed the blanket resting on the back of the love seat and sat down on the couch. I grabbed two wine glasses from my cupboard and immediately poured us each a big glass and brought them with me to the couch. As I got comfortable, Bella slid down on to the couch further, resting her head against my chest. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Umm… what is your favorite type of cookie?" asked Bella with a small giggle as I started to wonder if all the questions would be so simple.

"Homemade Peanut Butter. Esme makes the softest ones I have ever had in my life. What about you?" I asked eagerly.

"Chocolate Chip. What was your favorite subject in school? I'm sure you can guess that mine was English," said Bella as she took a quick sip of her wine, and I couldn't seem to peel my eyes from her lips. "Hello? Favorite school subject?" she called again, breaking me out of my daydream.

"I was pretty good at Math, but not as good as Emmett. I liked music the most I guess," I replied casually as I tried to think of a new question. "What is your favorite childhood memory?"

"Umm… I don't know. I guess trying new things with my mom. She was a bit of a wild child and we were always going to weird classes that they taught down at the Y. I can now make macramé plant holders out of hemp, I can almost speak in perfect pig latin and I have learned the fine art of eating an orange," Bella said with a laugh, and I wasn't sure if I should take her seriously.

"Isn't the orange thing from the Simpsons?" I asked with a grin as she nodded her head.

"I'm impressed. Do you know a lot about the Simpsons?" she asked as her hand suddenly found my thigh and was moving slowly along the fabric of my pants. I released a deep breath and began to speak.

"It was kind of forced upon me. Emmett is a big fan. Actually he likes all cartoons, Logan will be very pleased in that regard," I commented as I took a sip of my wine and then wrapped my arm tightly around Bella's shoulder. This was nice and casual. I was glad to be sitting here just talking with her. It wasn't how I initially planned our Valentine's Day, but I wasn't going to complain. "What is your favorite marine mammal?"

"Are sea otters mammals? I never know, but I like otters. I did a quiz once in Cosmo that said sexually, I was compared to a sea otter, and ever since then, I've been a huge fan of otters," replied Bella with a blush as she immediately thought she had said too much. I just laughed and explained my love of whales, which she found adorable. "Favorite breakfast cereal?"

"Fruit Loops," I stated matter of factly, but I think I surprised her with my choice. "What did you think it would be?"

"I don't know, I thought maybe you were more of a plain old Cheerios kind of guy," said Bella nervously.

"There is nothing plain or old about me Bella Swan," I stated confidently.

"So are you saying there is something fruity or loopy about you then?" she asked with a loud giggle as I frowned at her.

"You should know the answer to that," I said to her as I pulled her wine glass from her hand and put it on the floor beside mine. I moved on the couch until I was on my knees and began to hover above her. "I am a fruity or loopy?" I asked as I slid my hands to her sides, intending to tickle the hell out of her until she admitted I was nothing like my cereal choice. Bella just smirked at me and I immediately began to assault her sides with my fingers, tickling every single scrap of skin I could get my hands on. She was fidgeting beneath me and kept calling out for me to stop, which just spurred me on more. "Admit I'm not fruity or loopy and this can end immediately," I explained again as my hands moved down to her thighs and I started to tickle behind her knees, which were more ticklish than her sides.

"Fine," she panted breathlessly, which reminded me of how she sounded after we had sex. "You are neither fruity nor loopy. You are also not plain or old," she stated firmly as I moved back from her, releasing my hands from her legs.

"Good answer sweetheart," I said as I placed a kiss on the top of her head and then walked into the kitchen to refill our glasses.

"You play dirty though, it's not fair," said Bella as she wandered into the kitchen behind me. "I would never trick you into admitting something by tickling the hell out of you."

"You have your own tricks Bella," I said confidently as I grabbed the wine bottle and placed it on my countertop. "You would probably withhold sex or something to get what you want."

"Actually Edward, I wouldn't do that, but I will remember it for the future," she said slyly as she grabbed her refilled wine glass and headed back into the living room. As she wandered by the hallway though, she stopped and turned around quickly; pulling at the back of the t-shirt she was wearing. "It has your name on it."

"So?"

"Did you know it had your name on it?" she inquired curiously as she backed up to the mirror in the hallway, where she had originally caught her reflection.

"Not when I pulled it out of my drawer, but I noticed a little bit later. Is this a problem?" I quirked my eye brow, slightly confused by Bella's reaction to the shirt. It was just a fricking t-shirt.

"No. It's just very Grade 11 of you," she said with a laugh as I simply shrugged my shoulders. "I feel like the girlfriend of the captain of the football team, and everyone knows I'm taken."

"You are taken," I replied stoically as Bella blushed slightly and then took another drink of her wine. "Had I known you in high school, things would have been very different."

"Oh really? You never would have looked at me twice in high school, even when I spent almost every waking moment with your sister," sighed Bella in frustration. I settled myself back on the couch beside her, letting her rest her head against my chest again and I grabbed her hand in mine, stroking her palm firmly with my fingers.

"Don't underestimate me Bella. I go after what I want. I always did. You would have been wearing my name on the back of your shirt less than a week after the first day of school. You would have been giddy about it and all the other girls in school would have been envious of you." I tried to sound as confident as I could, even though I was a bit of a geek in school and I wasn't sure how Bella had been.

"Cocky much?" she said with a laugh.

"Damn straight. Just think of all the possibilities life could have thrown at us if we had met a year earlier?" I suggested as Bella looked at me with a sly smile.

"Yeah, we would have dated, gone to different schools, tried to long distance thing and then broken up. You would have pined for me and none of your other girlfriends could have even come close to the perfection and love you felt for Isabella Marie Swan," she laughed heavily as I simply smiled.

"That's one possibility. I could have stayed here to go to school and been with you always. We would have married in some lavish ceremony that Esme and Alice planned out and we'd be cuddling with a baby right now instead of a bottle of Chardonnay."

"I guess we'll never know huh?" laughed Bella as a nervous smile crossed my lips. _We'll never know._

**A/N: Next chappie preview… Em and Edward meet Logan**


	20. Photos and Fire Trucks

**A/N: Here's the Emmett and Logan meet and greet. I hope I did it justice, but I dunno. I'm hard on myself. There will be more interaction with Alice and the rest of the Cullens in the next few chapters. Whose excited?? **

**Flightlessbird11 – the Peanut Butter Cookie thing was a not a wide awake reference, although you already know I'm a whore for that story. My mother actually makes the best peanut butter cookies I have ever had in my entire life, and that's where I got it from.**

**Hazelbunny – there will be no custody battle, so don't worry! LOL**

**Lysvia – when are you due? Your hormonal reviews make me laugh.**

**I wanted to make a fic rec… it's called "Vodka and Nicotine" by desolatestate. It's a WIP, but I found it very interesting. **

**I don't own twilight, but I do have a naked toddler running around here in a lifejacket desperate to go swimming.**

**EPOV**

When Sunday morning rolled around, I was a wreck of emotions, but I was certain that Emmett was a million times worse than me. Rosalie had called early in the morning to change the location of our meeting due to the weather. We were supposed to meet at a local park near her home for ice skating and hot chocolate, but thanks to the freezing rain that was currently pouring down on the city, she asked if we could simply come over to her place and Emmett was fine with that. It would make Logan more comfortable, he explained to me, when he called to tell me about the change. I was now sitting in my Volvo, driving slowly over to Emmett's place with two hot coffees and a big box of donuts. We had over three hours until we had to be at Rose's, but Em expressed his need for some moral support and I was the most willing person.

"How are you holding up?" I asked as I wandered into his apartment, after Emmett opened the door looking more than a little tired.

"As well as I can be for finding out a week ago that I have a kid," he said with a nervous laugh as I thrust the coffee into his hand. I looked him over and noticed he looked pretty rough, in addition to being tired. His clothes were covered in holes and smelt horribly.

"I don't think Rosalie will be impressed if you show up looking like a homeless guy," I snickered as Emmett glared at me in frustration.

"Homeless chic is all the rage these days. Ask Alice," replied Emmett with his signature booming laugh, and I was instantly quelled. He seemed like the Emmett I knew, for a moment. We sat on the couch together, enjoying a quick bite of the donuts, but Emmett was even more nervous than he had been all week. I had seen him every single day and Monday had been his worst day. He was boiled over with anger from the entire situation and took it out on the unsuspecting contractors who were working in our new offices. There were a few changes that we requested be made before the furniture was delivered on Friday morning, and Emmett was relentless on everyone to get things done. Usually I played the part of the bad guy, but Emmett took control and had everyone cowering from him.

"Did you take Bella out for Valentine's?" asked Emmett curiously as he bit into a bear claw greedily and glanced up at me.

"Yeah, we went out Friday night and then hung out at my place for a while. I even showed her our offices yesterday," I replied casually as Emmett raised his eye brow in concern. "She thought your office was a lot nicer than mine by the way."

"You didn't fuck on my new desk did you?" asked Em incredulously as I rubbed my temple, shocked that he would ask something so stupid.

"Of course not dipshit. We were in the building for like five minutes, and anyways, my desk is nicer than yours. If we're going to have sex in the office, it will definitely be on my desk," I explained with a smirk as Emmett took a sip of his coffee. "Weren't you trying to stop swearing? I mean, Rosalie won't be pleased if you teach Logan any four letter words."

"I've been on my best behavior all week. Give me a few moments to slip up. I'll be fine around him," sighed Emmett as he shoved his feet up onto his coffee table to relax. We watched a little bit of TV, but since the football season was over, Emmett wasn't really interested in much. There was a NASCAR race on, but even that didn't hold his attention. I ended up shoving him into the shower almost an hour after I arrived, and laid on his couch for a while, trying to calm my own nerves. I was woken from my nap when my cell phone rang, it was my mother.

"Hi Mom," I said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

"Did I wake you Edward? Its 10:30 in the morning, you should be awake by now."

"I just had a small nap on Emmett's couch while he's getting ready. We have an appointment together for work in a little bit," I lied casually to her. I felt horrible, especially since Emmett wanted to meet Logan first before telling my parents, but I knew it had to be done.

"Oh well, you boys sure are busy. I was actually just calling to see if you and Bella would like to come out for dinner next week?" asked Esme a little suspiciously.

"Um, I think it's a bit early to be inviting Bella and I anywhere as a couple, don't you think? We've only been out on two dates," I replied, hoping she would back off slightly. I wasn't ready to introduce Bella as my girlfriend, especially since we hadn't told Alice yet. Though, we had agreed yesterday to do it sooner than later.

"Sorry Edward, I am just excited you have someone in your life."

"It's fine mother, but don't make it more than it is. We're not getting married or anything like that. Hell, I've seen her three times in the past fourteen days. With work being as busy as it is, I'm kind of struggling right now to spend a considerable amount of time with her," I admitted sadly. I hated the fact that I had almost forgotten Valentine's Day and what we did end up doing was a lot more half-assed than I would have done had I not been so busy with setting up the new office.

"I'm sure things will work out. Say Hi to Emmett for me, and hopefully you two can come out to visit soon," sighed Esme as I offered up a quick 'okay' and rushed her off the phone. Emmett strolled out of his room a few minutes later, dressed fairly casually in jeans and a sweater.

"This looks alright, right?" he asked nervously as he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt.

"I doubt Logan will care how you look," I replied with a chuckle. "Unless you're trying to impress his mother?"

"No Edward, I'm not trying to impress Rosalie. I'm trying to look more mature, like a dad, without needing colorful knit sweaters like Bill Cosby. I'm not sure I could ever see Rosalie in a romantic way again, after this whole situation," he said nervously as he sat down beside me on the couch and looked at the TV.

"Whatever Em. I know you. Once you are over this whole 'she didn't tell me about my baby thing', you'll want her back. You always compared every other girl you dated to the perfection that was Rosalie Hale. She was always the one for you, and one day you'll see it," I said with a grin as I stood up from the couch. "Let's go. We have a fire truck to go and buy."

We headed towards the north side of town where Rosalie lived, and the moment we saw a toy store, we stopped and Emmett ran in to find something suitable for Logan. Unfortunately, he was in the store for way too long, and I ended up following after him. He was standing in the toy truck aisle, practically sweating with worry. "What the hell man, it's only a truck," I said fiercely as he looked up at me and gave me a death stare.

"It's not only a truck Edward. This is the first gift I will be giving my son, it has to be perfect."

"What about this one?" I asked curiously as I held up a large truck that operated on a remote control.

"That's for kids older than he is," sighed Emmett as I looked through the shelves, paying particular attention to the recommended age. I handed him another one, but he put it right back on the shelf, not even bothering to look at it.

"Okay, here's my last suggestion," I said in frustration as I handed him one more toy. It was a Lego fire truck that Emmett and Logan could build together. "He gets the fire truck, and you get some bonding time with him. It's a win-win." I looked down at my watch and noticed we only had fifteen minutes to get over to Rosalie's if we wanted to be on time.

"This will do," said Emmett as he gripped it tightly in his hands and brought it to the cashier. Thankfully, the roads we needed to take the rest of the way to Rosalie's were empty, and as we sat in the parking lot outside of her small apartment building, Emmett was frozen to his seat. "What do I say? Who do I say I am?"

"Just say you're Emmett. Don't overwhelm him. If he's as smart as everyone says he is, he'll probably recognize himself in you. Just act like he's a friend's kid. Play with him, talk to him, don't go overboard." Emmett simply nodded his head at my suggestions and finally gripped the door handle and opened it slowly.

I felt like I need to wrap my arm around his shoulder to keep him from falling over, but the moment we pressed the buzzer to get access into Rosalie's building, calm, cool and collected Emmett showed up. Thank god.

**EMPOV**

On the inside I was literally shaking with fear, but on the outside, I was certain I looked like I did in every business meeting I ever had; calm. I pressed the buzzer eagerly and when the door opened automatically, I felt nervous yet relieved. At least Rosalie still wanted us here. We took the elevator to the third floor and had no problem finding her apartment, number 304. Edward knocked, sensing my reluctance and gave me a soothing smile. I straightened up slightly, clutching the bag from the store in my sweaty hand. I could do this, I told myself as the door slowly opened and there stood Rosalie, looking as pretty as ever, even if I did hate her for what she had done.

"Good Morning boys," she said sweetly as she held the door open and Edward and I walked in. I couldn't help but notice her curves in her tight yoga pants and t-shirt. She was just as beautiful as I remembered her.

"Sorry we're a little late. It took all of Emmett's energy to get out of the car," laughed Edward as Rosalie grinned at him.

"Logan is watching the end of one of his shows. I'm sure he'll be out of his room in a moment," said Rosalie as she wandered into the kitchen and motioned for Edward and me to have a seat in the living room. I couldn't help by analyze almost every nook and cranny of her small, yet comfortable apartment. There was a pile of small toys in a box in the corner, as well as dozens of pictures everywhere of Logan when he was younger. I was immediately envious. "Here," said Rosalie as she handed me a large photo album. "These are some of the photos from when he was a baby."

I quickly opened the book and the first photo was a side shot of Rosalie, at least 8 months along, her shirt up underneath her breasts and her pregnant belly visible for the camera. I felt a quick pang of remorse for not being with her when she needed me most, and tried my best to hide it. I felt Edward pat my shoulder to reassure me and then went onto the next page, where there was a photo of Logan as a newborn in the bassinet at the hospital.

"Was he born in Ithaca?" I asked curiously as we scanned through the next page of photos.

"Yeah, he was born at Cayuga Medical Center on March 28th. I was really hoping not to have an April Fools baby, so I was relieved when he came a few days early," she remarked casually as she finished fixing up a tray of snacks and laid them on the coffee table in front of us. "He was six pounds, five ounces when he was born, and a little over 20 inches. Everyone said he was a little small, but I thought he was just right." Rosalie was beaming with pride as she spoke about him, and I was about to get defensive when I thought better of it. I was livid I had missed this time with him, but getting mad at her wasn't going to make it any better.

"He was adorable Rose," said Edward, trying to break the tension in the room. I scanned through the rest of the pictures intently, catching glimpses of both me and Carlisle in his images. There were pictures from his first birthday party, his first Christmas, and the first time he walked. It was heartbreaking. "Do you have any videos?"

"Sorry Edward, I don't. I have a few friends back in Ithaca that might though. I can always get in touch with them and see if they still have them," offered Rosalie sweetly as she sat in a chair across from us and glared at me in anticipation.

"Yes, please," I said sweetly as I finished the book and put it down on the table. The room was filled with awkward silence until we heard short footsteps coming towards the room, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Mommy, can I have some juice please?" asked Logan as he strolled into the room and sidled up to Rosalie the moment he saw Edward and I.

"Yes, you can have some juice, but first I want you to say hello to my friends Emmett and Edward," said Rosalie fiercely. Logan was caught a little off guard to find us in his living room, but seemed to be fairly calm as he walked over and offered me his hand first to shake.

"It's great to meet you Logan, I'm Emmett." He had a strong little grip in his hands, but smiled easily at me before he moved over to Edward, who seemed just as impressed with him as I had been. Rosalie was already back from the kitchen with a juice box for Logan when Edward had punched me on the shoulder and mouthed the word 'truck' to me. "Oh, Logan. Edward and I picked up something for you today."

"Really?" he asked, his voice teeming with excitement as I smiled back at him. He had my smile; there was no doubt about that.

"Yeah. That's alright, right Rosie?" I asked as I looked up at her nervously. She nodded her head in agreement and I handed Logan the small bag, which he opened enthusiastically.

"Awesome. Tony has one like this, but smaller. Thank you Emmett and Edward," he said kindly as he sat on the floor and immediately tried to open the box.

"Would you like some help?" I asked anxiously, unsure of his response, but he just nodded his head quickly and I practically leapt off the couch to join him on the floor. We spent the next half an hour trying to build the fire truck while Edward and Rosalie chatted aimlessly behind us. I heard a quick mention of Bella's name and Logan immediately perked up.

"Auntie Bella is my girlfriend," he said forcefully as he bent forward and tried to attach another piece.

"Really?" asked Edward from the couch, feigning surprise and laughing easily.

"Edward likes her too Logan, so look out. You might have trouble with him," I said with a laugh as Logan looked up at me all serious.

"No way. I'm going to marry her one day and then we'll kiss and do all the other things people do when they are wedded." All three of us laughed happily at his comments until I noticed Rosalie glaring at Edward for a moment.

"You and Bella?" she asked curiously as Edward simply nodded his head in acknowledgement of her question. "Does Alice know?"

"She knows enough. She gave Bella permission for us to go out, but we haven't had a chance to mention the date or any others to her," Edward admitted remorsefully. I knew he hated hiding these things from Alice, especially since they had been together for almost two months now, but it wasn't my place to interfere in his romantic life.

"I bet Auntie Bella likes me more than you Edward," giggled Logan as he handed me the ladder to put on the side of the truck.

"Oh really?" Edward challenged with a smile.

"Yes, she told me so. She let me call her my girlfriend."

"Yes, he's a flirt, just like his father," said Rosalie casually before she caught herself and covered her mouth. I glanced over at Logan, who didn't seem to notice the exchange between us, thankfully, but I just smiled tentatively at her and went back to the Lego. It was almost three hours later, after playing virtually every toy and video game with Logan that Edward and I decided to head home.

"It was great to see you Logan. I hope to see you again really soon, okay?" I asked anxiously, awaiting a response from either him or Rosalie. I was shocked when he came up to me and gave me a big hug, thanking me for the new toy and for playing with him today. I didn't want to push things too far too quickly, so I gently kissed his forehead, instead of telling him I was his father, which was what I was aching to do.

"It was fun Emmett. Next time, you and Edward should bring my girlfriend with you," he said with a nervous giggle as he gave Edward a small hug, which made him smile from ear to ear.

"Perhaps we can even hit a Mariners game when baseball season starts," suggested Edward with a hesitant smile to both Rosalie and I.

"That sounds great. I'm sure Logan will enjoy spending a lot of time with both of you," said Rosalie sweetly as Logan tugged on her shirt and she bent down to talk to him. He whispered something quietly in his ear and then she had him head to his bedroom for a moment.

"What's wrong?" asked Edward as we stood beside the door, about to leave.

"He wants to know why he looks like Emmett," Rosalie replied sadly as she looked over at me. It was obvious that Logan was smart as a whip, so I wasn't shocked that he figured out that we looked like fucking twins.

"Then tell him," I said forcefully, desperate for Logan to know our connection. "He likes me; you know I already worship him. What did you tell him about me before?"

"I told him that his father lived far away and was very busy," said Rosalie remorsefully as she hung her head low.

"At least you didn't say he was dead," laughed Edward awkwardly, doing a shitty job of breaking the tension this time.

"He knows something Rosalie, just tell him I'm his dad," I said a little too loudly as I noticed Logan shuffling towards us slowly from the hallway. His head peeked out from around the corner first; making sure it was okay to come in, as Rosalie motioned him forward with her hand. She was disappointed he had been eavesdropping, but I was relieved.

"You're my dad?" he asked in complete shock as his mouth hung open. I had no idea what to say to this, so I simply nodded my head while staring intently at Rosalie.

"And this is your uncle Edward. They are Aunt Alice's brothers," stammered Rosalie nervously as Logan moved away from her side and came a bit closer to us, as we stood nervously by the door.

"Sweet," said Logan cheerfully as he hugged us both again and then walked back towards Rosalie. "Can we go see the Seahawks one day too?" I just grinned easily and nodded my head as Rosalie ushered him back into his bedroom.

"See, he took it like a champ," I said with an enthusiastic grin, but Rosalie just shook her head. "I'd like him to meet my parents soon, if you are alright with that?"

"That's fine Emmett. What about next weekend?" suggested Rosalie calmly as I nodded my head. I had a week to tell my parents about Logan and arrange some sort of meeting.

"How about Saturday afternoon? I'll confirm with my parents and then let you know the specifics. You wouldn't mind if I called him later would you?"

"He's your son too Emmett. I'm fine with you calling. He goes to bed at eight thirty, so keep that in mind, okay?" Edward opened the door to guide us out and I nodded my head and give Rose a quick peck on the cheek, smiling brightly as we wandered down the hallway towards the elevator. Before we reached the open elevator, Rosalie was behind us clutching the photo album in her hands.

"This was for you. I already have copies," she said sweetly as she thrust the album into my hands and I kissed her cheek again, thanking her profusely for the wonderful gift, before she ran back into the apartment, closing the door tightly behind her.

"That was fucking awesome wasn't it?"


	21. Chaos

**A/N: Okay, everyone rocks for their lovely comments about the last chapter. You all rock so much, I'm putting out this chapter earlier than I expected. So the moral of the stories is, the more reviews I get, the faster the chapters come. **

**Everyone seems to particularly love the interaction between Emmett, Logan and Edward, so never fear, there will be additional chapters featuring them and their cuteness. It's funny how Logan seems to be everyone's favorite character these days.**

**Amigirl – I hope you are reading this chapter over a lovely breakfast and smiling because it was out so fast.**

**I don't own twilight, but I do own a lot of cups with Elmo on them. Damned carpet sample piece of shit puppet.**

**BPOV**

"Come on Bella, it will be great," said Alice enthusiastically. "It's about time you got back into the club scene. We haven't been out partying since like Thanksgiving, so you owe me," said Alice as she thrust a really cute blue dress into my arms and forced me into a dressing room.

"Alice, I only have ten minutes left for my lunch," I moaned in frustration as I squeezed into the dress quickly and turned around to catch a glimpse in the mirror. It looked good, highlighting my curves just right, with the color making my skin look even nicer than usual.

"Just come out with us please. I've convinced Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie to come. I haven't been able to get a hold of Edward this week thanks to work, but Emmett said he would drag him there by his hair because they deserved a night off," yelled Alice over the door. I pulled the dress off, got back into my suit and stomped out of the room.

"Fine Alice. I'll go. Can I just meet you guys there at like nine or something?" I asked as I stumbled towards the cashier and pulled out my AMEX, thrusting it towards her. Alice threw her arms around my neck in excitement as I took my bag from the store and practically ran back to my office, arriving only a few minutes late.

Alice had called earlier this morning insisting we meet for lunch and I really thought she was going to go ape shit on me because she had found out about Edward and I, but that wasn't the case. Instead, she convinced me and our unstable group of friends that we were spending our Friday night going to a club. Our group consisted of Alice's ex boyfriend who still lived with her, Edward 'my secret to some people' boyfriend, her brother Emmett and his baby mama Rosalie. Could it get more confusing? Perhaps she was really setting us up for an appearance on Jerry Springer, I laughed to myself as she explained her plans.

"My first plan is to get Emmett and Rosalie on friendly terms. I know he spoke to Logan every night this week and that Emmett is meeting my parents tomorrow, but they need a night out. Plus, it can't hurt for Jasper to see that everything is going well and for him to possibly get jealous if I find another eligible suitor there," she said with a devious snicker. "You and Edward just need a night out. You both work way too much." I had to agree with her on that point. I hadn't seen Edward since Valentine's even though we had talked and texted a bunch throughout the week. He was going to pop over after meeting Logan, but Emmett dragged him out for dinner and drinks and when he returned, I was already asleep. I missed our time in the cabin when there were no interruptions and no people.

I sent Edward a quick text once I got back to the office, suddenly no longer interested in getting any work done.

_Alice is dragging me to 'Chaos' tonight, so you better be there. She said Emmett was going to drag you –B_

I leaned back in my chair for a moment, letting my mind wander to thoughts of getting Edward onto the dance floor, feeling him up against my body as we moved in sync with one another. My daydream had gotten more 'X' rated, when I was awoken from my reverie by a response from him.

_I'll be there. I miss you –E_

The rest of the afternoon dragged on and when I finally wandered into the apartment, I took a quick shower and prepared some pasta for dinner. Nothing like loading up on carbs when you want to drink yourself into a stupor, I laughed to myself. I was definitely getting drunk tonight, although it was at Alice's insistence, but I didn't care. I would have done it anyways. Once I was dressed and looking halfway decent, I called a cab and headed downstairs to wait. When we pulled up in front of the club, Jasper was walking in by himself.

"Jas," I called out as I handed my cabbie a twenty dollar bill and ran to his side.

"Bella, you look lovely tonight," he said sweetly as he offered up his arm, and I slipped mine in, making us look like a couple. The bouncer recognized us immediately and moved aside to let us in as several others groaned. Jasper's friend John owned the club, so we were practically VIP's every time we came. Alice was already sitting at a booth in the far corner with Rosalie when we wandered in. Her entire face lit up when she saw Jasper had arrived, but we stepped towards the bar to get ourselves a drink first.

"What do you want Bella?" he asked as I thought hard, unsure of what I would be drinking.

"Can I get a shot and a glass of Jamesons?" I asked the bartender with a smile. He was actually pretty handsome, and if I remembered correctly, his name was Paul. We had met on several occasions at the bar, but since I hadn't been around in a while, I wasn't completely sure. He winked at me and slid the drinks across the bar as Jasper paid for both of mine and his own beer before guiding me over to the table where the girls were sitting. "Hello sexy ladies," I called out before I sat down on the bench beside Rosalie.

I immediately pounded back my shot and thanked Jasper for the drinks. "Alice, do you still like the dress?" I asked with a smile as she nodded her head in agreement. Jasper grabbed all of our coats and brought them to coat check so that nothing happened to them. It was still February in Seattle, so we would definitely need them later in the night. As he left the table, Alice immediately started to gossip about him.

"He's looking so good tonight. I seriously have my work cut out for me, he's been giving me the cold shoulder all week," she said sadly as she noticed Emmett walk into the room alone and started to wave her arms to get his attention. "Where's Edward?"

"He's running late at the office. He said he'd be here soon," sighed Emmett as he waved down a waitress and ordered himself a beer and a shot. "Nice to see you guys. Hi Rosalie."

"Hey Emmett, Logan is really excited to see you tomorrow afternoon," she said anxiously as she took a small sip of her drink. I couldn't help but notice the tension in the air between the two of them, and I reminded myself to ask Edward about it later. I tuned them out as they began talking incessantly about Logan and tonight's babysitter, who Rosalie later told me Logan didn't want because it wasn't me.

It was almost six drinks and an two hours later when Alice dragged me onto the dance floor, sensing that I was drunk enough to finally 'bust a move' as Emmett put it. Everyone else remained in their seats as I glanced over at the bar and caught Paul looking in my direction. Shit. Tonight was hip hop night at the club and while I didn't generally like this kind of music, it made for great dancing. Alice grabbed my hip as we started to dance to 'Whatever you like' by T.I., with Alice smiling happily as she glanced over at Jasper, who was actually watching us on the floor.

"He hasn't taken his eyes off of you all night," I said genuinely to Alice as I looked around again for Edward, with no luck.

"I don't know what else to do Bella. I've apologized and practically begged for his forgiveness. I played hard to get and even pretended to have a date on Valentine's, but there has been no sign whatsoever from Jas that he wants to get back together," Alice said loudly as we continued to move around each other drunkenly.

"Ok, I've got a good buzz going on right now, so my advice might suck, but I think you should stop trying so hard. Love comes to you when you least expect it," I said with a grin as I thought about Edward for a moment. "Edward and I went out on a date."

Alice looked back at me and stopped on the dance floor. "Are you happy?" she asked as I stilled my movements and simply nodded my head.

"I think so," I said casually as I gave Alice a gentle hug and we went back to dancing together. She didn't ask anymore questions about us, but I wasn't sure if that was because she didn't care or because Jasper was still staring at us. The next song started only minutes later, Right Round by Flo Rida and Alice started to dance around me in a circle, as we laughed drunkenly together. A few minutes later, Emmett showed up with two drinks for Alice and I, and we pulled him with us into our dance. At one point I grabbed Emmett's wrist to look at his watch and saw that it was almost midnight and Edward hadn't showed up yet. He was three hours late and I was frustrated and angry. I didn't want to come tonight and truly only came because Edward was going to be here. The alcohol was starting to affect me more than usual and I immediately started to wonder why the hell he wasn't here at midnight on a Friday night.

I was broken from my thoughts as Paul, the bartender walked over as the music turned slow for a few moments. "Bella, did you want to dance?" he asked sweetly as I looked back towards the table and noticed Edward still wasn't here.

"Sure," I replied a little hesitantly as he wrapped his arms around my waist and held me close to him, moving along smoothly to the music filling the club. "Aren't you supposed to be working?"

"I took all my breaks at once so that I could spend a bit of time with you. I think I pissed off Leah, the other bartender, but oh well," he said with a light laugh. I hadn't noticed before how good looking he was, with his dark brown hair cut short and bright brown eyes. His black t-shirt clung against his chest tightly, showing off his hard physique, but I shook my head for a moment as he began to talk again. "I'm sorry if I seem forward, but I ran into Jacob on New Years and he mentioned you broke up. I was kind of wondering if you were interested in having dinner with me sometime?"

I took a moment, in my current state, to process everything that Paul had said to me, but I quickly shot him down, feeling remorseful the moment the words came from my mouth. "I'm so sorry if I led you on or something, but I'm kind of seeing someone."

"Kind of seeing someone?" I heard repeated from behind me. My head hung low for a moment as I turned and saw Edward standing behind us looking livid. "I thought we were doing more than kind of seeing each other."

"Well look at what the cat dragged in," I slurred as Paul released his grip on me, but stood nearby, just in case I needed him. "Maybe if I saw you once in a while I could say I was _definitely_ seeing someone."

"I show up late one fucking time and you are all over the first guy that shows interest? I didn't know you were so fucking needy Bella," he yelled at me as I felt tears start to form and I noticed Emmett walk up behind Edward, putting his hand on Edward's shoulder.

"It's not what it looks like Edward, let's go sit down," suggested Emmett as Edward turned his shoulder away from his brother, but Emmett strengthened his grip on him, not letting him move an inch.

"Thank you very much for the dance Paul," I stammered sweetly as I gave him a small hug and quickly walked towards our table to grab my purse. "Good night," I said to my friends as Alice tried to follow me, but was held back by Jasper. He whispered something to her as I strode towards the coat room and grabbed my jacket swiftly. When I turned back towards the dance floor, Emmett was still restraining Edward who was talking angrily to Paul. I stepped outside the club and found a couple exiting a cab, so I hopped in immediately and went home, crying in the backseat of the cab the entire way.

As I walked into the apartment, I threw my purse down on my countertop and my cell phone started to ring again, it was Alice. I retrieved it from my bag and turned it off as I threw it across the room and stomped into my room, peeling the dress off me and leaving it in the hallway. I closed my bedroom curtains tightly and climbed into bed to cry myself to sleep, feeling lonelier than I had the day I had broken up with Jacob. This is what heartbreak actually feels like.

**EPOV**

When Emmett had called me earlier in the day suggesting a night out, I cringed at the thought. The last thing I wanted to do was go hang out at some bar while I could have been at home with Bella, doing anything or nothing. It didn't matter. Doing nothing with Bella was ten times better than going to a bar with Em.

However, when Bella texted me later in the day to suggest the same thing, I jumped at the chance to see her in some sexy dress and dance with her. Sure Alice was going to be there, but it was about time she knew I was dating Bella. However, as the day moved along, everything turned to shit. The L.A. office was having technical difficulties, making it hard for them to contact me at all. I had a five o'clock conference call with one of our biggest clients that they ended up needing to reschedule to eight. Emmett didn't need to be included though, so he went ahead to the bar to let everyone know I would be there soon. Little did I know, soon ended up being four hours later. I left the office at almost midnight, still dressed in my suit and I headed down to the bar in my Volvo.

When I walked in, there was slow R&B music playing and I headed to the bar for a quick drink as I surveyed the room and tried to find my table full of friends. After almost five minutes, I headed to the far back corner where they were occupying a table together. Rosalie and Emmett were deep in conversation about something and Jasper was sitting by himself, keeping an eye on the dance floor. Alice and Bella were nowhere to be found.

"What's going on?" I said casually as I took a seat beside Jasper and shook his hand. "Long time no see man."

"Yeah I know. Life's been sucking huge lately. Sorry I haven't been around," said Jasper as he took a sip of his beer and turned his attention back to the dance floor. "Your sister is trying to make me jealous," he said with a snicker as he pointed towards the dance floor where Alice was wrapped around some guy, dancing slowly, but always staring at Jasper.

"When are you going to get back together with her man? She's making all of our lives miserable," I explained as I punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"I don't know. I just wish she would stop trying so hard. She's always trying to pretend she's seeing someone else, or walking around the apartment half dressed in an attempt to seduce me. It's driving me crazy. She needs to calm down a bit. I'm not going anywhere," laughed Jasper as I looked back towards the dance floor and saw Bella dancing with some dark haired guy, his hands wrapped firmly around her waist. They were talking casually, but I could tell Bella looked uncomfortable, so I quickly excused myself and headed to interrupt them.

"I'm sorry if I seem forward, but I ran into Jacob on New Years and he mentioned you broke up. I was kind of wondering if you were interested in having dinner with me sometime?" asked the muscle bound asshole who was currently clutching my girlfriend.

"I'm so sorry if I led you on or something, but I'm kind of seeing someone," said Bella with a small smile as Paul simply nodded his head at her response. Unfortunately, I was keyed up from my horrible meeting and the fact that my girlfriend was dancing with some other guy, and I completely flipped out.

"Kind of seeing someone?" I said loudly as I stood behind Bella, my face conveying the anger I felt. "I thought we were doing more than kind of seeing each other."

"Well look at what the cat dragged in," she stammered drunkenly as the jerk stepped away from her, but stayed nearby as though he was her protector. "Maybe if I saw you once in a while I could say I was _definitely_ seeing someone."

"I show up late one fucking time and you are all over the first guy that shows interest? I didn't know you were so fucking needy Bella," I yelled at her in frustration, immediately regretting the words that came from my mouth.

"It's not what it looks like Edward, let's go sit down," said Emmett as I felt him grip my shoulder tightly, refusing to let me move.

"Thank you very much for the dance Paul," said Bella as she started to cry and ran towards the table to grab her purse before she grabbed her coat and headed out into the cold Seattle night.

"What the fuck was that?" asked Emmett in frustration as I glared at the guy Bella had been dancing with. He had refused to move, as though he was fighting some battle for a girl he hardly knew.

"I should be asking him that?" I said angrily as I pointed my finger at him, wanting to hear him speak his peace, but also wanting to punch him in the face for even talking to Bella.

"Nothing happened man. I've known her for years; she used to come in here with Jake. I asked her out, she turned me down and then you came in acting like a god damned caveman. I hope she dumps your ass because she is way too good for you," laughed the asshole as he turned away and walked back to the bar, where he moved behind it and began to serve drinks.

"He's the fucking bartender?" I asked of Emmett incredulously, who simply nodded his head and guided me back towards the table. I sat down for a moment, before practically jumping from the seat again. "I need to go see Bella."

"Bella mentioned that you guys went out on a date," said Alice, trying to sound sweet, but I was too pissed to deal with her. I grabbed my drink from the table and sucked it back greedily as I stared back at Alice.

"Is that what she said? We went on a date?" I shrieked at Alice as she moved away from me and closer to Jasper.

"Calm down man. Now is not the time to talk about this," whispered Emmett to me as I waved the waitress over and requested another drink.

"Now is the perfect time for this. Yeah, Bella and I went out on a date Alice. Several of them actually. I've been fucking seeing her for three months, in secret, because of your fucking rules," I shouted at her angrily as Emmett tried to calm me down.

"How the hell did that happen?" yelled Alice, almost as angrily as me.

"We met at the cabin. I went to get away from L.A. and she was there. We fought, we talked, we fucked, I fucking fell in love with her, but you had to go screw everything up."

"I wasn't the one turning into a complete dipshit on the dance floor tonight because she was dancing with a friend she's known for four years," laughed Alice, as the waitress reappeared with my drink and I tossed a ten dollar bill on her tray and drank it all down in one shot. "Maybe my rules were a good thing."

"Your stupid ass rules sucked," said Emmett, joining into the mix. "If you hadn't been so controlling, I would have known about Logan a year ago and you and Jasper would still be together. So, I ask you Alice, how are your rules a good thing?" I glanced over at Emmett, wishing I could give him a high five, but then Alice started sobbing.

"I'm so sorry I screwed up all of your lives," she yelled as she wiped some tears from her face, smearing her mascara and running from the table with her purse clutched tightly to her chest. Rosalie stood up and headed to find her as I sat back against the seat and closed my eyes.

"So, you're in love with Bella huh?" asked Jasper as he tried to break the tension.

"Yeah, I am."

"Does she know this?" asked Emmett with a laugh. "You're not pulling a 'Lauren' on her are you?"

"What's a 'Lauren'?" asked Jasper curiously as he took another small sip of his drink.

"Lauren was this chick Edward slept with one night back in L.A. From the moment he rolled off of her, she assumed they were in an exclusive relationship and was practically stalking him. It was the one night stand from hell," said Emmett with a chuckle as I put my head in my hands, letting the severity of what had just happened sink in.

"I'm seriously screwed. Hell, the only one who looks good here is Jas," I said with a sigh. "Bella was right though, we have hardly spent any time together lately. No wonder she was pissed."

"She was drunk Edward. You both need to calm down and discuss it like reasonable adults," suggested Jasper as I picked up my phone to see if I had any calls. Nothing.

"Let's go dude. I'll drive your car home and crash on your couch. We have to be at Mom and Dad's early tomorrow to tell them about Logan before Rosalie joins us. I talked her into driving out to Forks tomorrow with Logan so that he can meet them," said Emmett enthusiastically.

"That's great," I said with a forced smile as I looked down at my watch and saw it was now past one. I tossed Emmett my keys and we drove Jasper home first, before heading back to my condo.

As we walked up the front stoop, I pointed over to Bella's apartment building. "See the apartment on the far end of the third floor. No lights on, dark curtains?" I asked of Emmett as he nodded his head. "Bella lives there," I said sadly as Emmett glared at me in surprise. "She's a few hundred feet from me and I can't do anything to make this better right now, even though I am one hundred percent at fault. If I went up there, she'd kick my ass four ways to Sunday. Did you know she and Alice took kickboxing classes last summer?"

"Dude, you have it so bad for that girl?" said Emmett as he pushed me towards the front door and I fumbled as I unlocked it. "You should tell her you love her."

I led the way up to my place and when we stepped in I grabbed a few blankets and pillows from the linen closet and tossed them at Em. "I'll see you in the morning," I said with a sigh as I headed into my bedroom, closing the door behind me. I walked over to my window and sat in the chair I had moved in here, specifically so that I could look out at Bella's bedroom. Okay, I had stalker tendencies, but I was in love with girl and it completely justified in my opinion.

I pulled my tie off and threw it into the corner of my room as I noticed some movement of her curtains. Unfortunately, I didn't know if it was because of the air circulating in her apartment or if she was actually looking for me. I held out hope it was the latter as I kicked my shoes off and stretched out in the chair, falling asleep there as I stared out at her bedroom, missing her like crazy and petrified I had screwed everything up.


	22. Dungeons and Dragons

**A/N: Yes, another new chappie. This one is subtitled… what happens at the Cullen house when Rosalie comes to dinner. LOL.**

**I am sure to get a ton of reviews about how cute Logan is and I honestly can't wait. I like writing him.**

**Anyways, go review your little hearts out and show lots of love before I leave for Canada on Tuesday morning.**

**I don't own twilight, but I do have a daughter that took all the keys off of my keyboard tonight. It took my husband and I half an hour to put them all back in the right place. **

**EPOV**

"Hey Mom," I called out as we walked into the house, Emmett at my side, bouncing with excitement like a small child. "Let me talk to her first and then when Dad gets off his shift, we'll tell them your little secret," I whispered anxiously to Emmett as we closed the door behind us and headed into the kitchen, where we found Esme making a batch of peanut butter cookies.

"A woman after my own heart," laughed Emmett as he grabbed one of the cookies, fresh from the oven, and shoved it his mouth greedily. I followed suit and moaned my appreciation for the cookies which I had loved since I was younger than Logan. I had always considered Esme's cooking as 'comfort food' and considering all that had gone down yesterday and what would occur today, I was ecstatic by the sight of these cookies.

"You boys are early. Your dad won't be home until lunch time," she said casually as she slipped another tray into the oven and came over to give us each a big hug.

"We can always leave if you want?" laughed Emmett as he swiped another cookie excitedly.

"Of course not, although I am curious about what is wrong Edward. You look upset," commented my mother as she took a seat at the kitchen table after starting the egg timer.

"I'm gonna go and look for some old toys of mine upstairs, you guys enjoy your chat and I'll be back later," grinned Emmett as he stole yet another cookie and headed towards the living room and up the stairs to his room.

"I'm going to have no cookies left for later if he keeps that up," laughed my mother as I sat in a free chair beside her and started to fidget with my hands. "So, what's wrong? A mother knows these things."

"It's Bella and me," I started to say sadly as my mother grabbed her hand. "I kind of screwed everything up last night and I need your advice."

"You screwed it up before it even started? Only you could manage that one Edward," she said with a giggle even though she looked a bit disappointed. "You've had one date with this girl, but you have already driven her away from you?"

"I'm going to be brutally honest with you, so please don't get mad at me," I said cautiously as Esme's eyes narrowed and she looked slightly angry. She would definitely get mad at me. "I've been seeing Bella since December. I went to the cabin to get away from L.A. and she was there. She actually thought I was a burglar because we had never met before." Esme laughed softly before look of realization crossed her face.

"So you guys were already dating at Christmas when I was practically forcing you on each other?" she asked with another laugh and I nodded my head. "Wow and I thought I was so perceptive."

"We did a good job of hiding it. Every night when I disappeared and said I was going for a 'drive'; I was actually going to see Bella because I missed her so much. She even lives across the damned street from me in Seattle," I added tentatively.

"Awww… you love her. I knew you guys would be perfect together. I knew it the first time I met her when Alice brought her home after school one day. Should I dare ask how badly you screwed everything up?" I hung my head low, knowing full well my reaction at the club and my recent work schedule were to blame for everything. It was completely my fault.

"I saw her on Valentine's and that has been it. In fact, since I've moved here I've seen her twice and it's been almost a month. Hell, I talked to her more when I was in L.A. getting ready to move here than I do now. I know it's because I've been so preoccupied with setting up the new office, but then last night we agreed to meet up with Jas, Alice, Emmett and Rosalie for drinks at nine and I showed up at midnight, while she was dancing with one of the bartenders," I recalled vividly as Esme started to shake her head from side to side.

"And you went crazy huh? Probably yelled at her and him, even though it was probably harmless?" I simply nodded in agreement as Esme's disappointment was clear in her face. "Can't Emmett help you at the office? Relieve some of the workload perhaps? When does the office officially open?"

"We open in three weeks and Emmett has his own problems mom, but I guess I could stop being so controlling about everything and take a night off now and again."

"Have you told her you love her?"

"No."

"Well no wonder you both reacted the way you did. If she knew how you felt, she probably would have taken the time to talk to you about everything, instead of running away from the guy who sometimes makes time to spend with her. You're not much of a boyfriend these days Edward," laughed my mother anxiously. I agreed wholeheartedly with her though, I was a fucking shitty boyfriend. "Give it a few days and then talk to her and apologize."

"Thanks mom," I said with a slight grin, glad to have some sort of advice about what to do. "I'll think of some way to make this up to her."

"By the way… you guys went out with Rosalie Hale? I had no idea she lived in the city," said my mom as I smiled and grabbed another cookie from the counter.

"Like I said, Emmett has his own problems." She looked up at me cryptically as her egg timer went off and she tended to her cookies. I left her alone to finish her baking and headed upstairs to find Emmett, who was on his knees in his closet, searching desperately for something. "What on earth are you doing?"

"I'm looking for my old dungeons and dragons set. I figured Logan and I could play with them. Did I tell you the awesome news?" he asked as he jumped up from the floor and sat on his old bed. "Rosalie has to go on a conference in three weeks."

"Yeah," I said with fake enthusiasm, not quite sure how this was an exciting turn of events.

"Wake up dude. I get to have Logan at my place for three whole nights. I get to make him dinner and breakfast, help him with his homework and drive him to school. I get to be the dad. Rosie said if it all goes well, we'll move onto him coming over every other weekend," said Emmett enthusiastically as I patted him on the back and smiled down eagerly at him. "I'm gonna drag Alice out shopping with me next weekend to get stuff for his bedroom. Did I ever thank you for getting me the two bedroom?"

"Uh no, but can I make a suggestion on how you can make it up to me?" Emmett looked at me in confusion and I simply laughed. "It's nothing crazy. I was just going to suggest that I come over one night while you have Logan, so that I can spend time with my nephew. We can have a guy's night in and play dungeons and dragons, which is in my closet by the way. I stole it when you stopped playing with it, fifteen years ago."

"Whatever Edward," laughed Emmett as he headed towards my room and I followed. "We can do boys night in, we can even invite Jasper and Dad if we want." Emmett searched through my closet and pulled out several different toys, all of them belonging to him when we were younger. "You have my Nintendo 64? I thought Alice sold it to buy herself some shoes. Damn it, my GI Joe's too? I love you Edward, but I only want to tell you this one time, leave my shit alone."

I laughed at Emmett with a smile and we grabbed all of his old toys out of my closet, throwing them in an empty box that was in my bedroom. Once everything that he wanted was set aside, we headed downstairs where Esme had finally finished the cookies. She swatted Emmett's hand away as he went to grab another one, and my father got home, wandering into the kitchen to join us. "Ooh peanut butter cookies," he said with a smile as he grabbed one and quickly stuffed it into his mouth before mom could reprimand him.

"I'm glad we're all home," said Emmett with a nervous laugh, I knew he was getting ready to break the news to them. "So, I invited some guests over to dinner tonight. We're still having dinner around five right?" Esme simply nodded her head as Carlisle glared at Emmett in confusion.

"Emmett, I think they should be sitting down for this," I said with a grin as my mother looked more upset that I thought possible.

"Good idea. Okay, I think you should sit down, maybe even have a couple of cookies nearby for support," said Emmett sincerely as he placed the tray of cookies in the center of the dining room table and grabbed another one as my parents sat beside each other, opposite of Emmett. "Rosalie is coming over tonight and she's bringing someone very important with her."

**EMPOV**

"Rosalie Hale?" my father asked incredulously as he turned towards my mother in shock. "I didn't even know she was back in the city. Did you know Esme?"

"Edward happened to mention it earlier in our conversation about how your son is dating Bella Swan," she said with an excited giggle.

"How long have I been at the hospital? You're seeing Rosalie again and Bella is your girlfriend?" asked my father as he pointed at Edward and smiled at me nervously. When we were growing up, my father always felt out of the loop. He didn't even know I was dating Rosalie until I took her to junior prom, almost a year after we hooked up. This was one of the effects of being a doctor, and I was glad I didn't follow in his footsteps so that I could actually be there for Logan when he needed me.

"I'm not seeing Rosalie again. Well, I see her, but we're not dating again," I started fiercely as they both looked at me in bewilderment. "I see Rosalie because she has a son and he's five, almost six actually." I was about to say something else, when my mother quickly covered her mouth with her hand and her eyes widened in shock. She started to pant breathlessly for a moment as she gripped my father's arm. I hadn't been expecting this reaction.

"Is she okay?" asked Edward as he came to stand behind our mother and leaned down to see her closer. Other than the massive coronary I was sure she was having upon the realization she was a grandmother, she looked fine.

"What's his name?" asked Esme through her labored breaths.

"Logan Carlisle Hale." Part of me wanted to laugh at the animated face of my father when his mouth dropped open in shock. I thought of a Looney Tunes cartoon and expected his jaw to hit the mahogany table with a loud thud.

"Congratulations, it's a grandson," Edward laughed with me as my mother smacked him upside the head.

"You knew about this?" she spat angrily at him as he rubbed his head from the severity of her blow.

"I've only known since Christmas night. Alice has known since last year," yelled out Edward, in an effort to save his own ass from my parents' wrath. "If it helps, Emmett only found out two weeks ago and we only met Logan last week."

"Have you ordered a DNA test?" asked Carlisle as he stood from his seat and began packing around the room. Leave it to my father to assume the child wasn't mine. He probably thought Rosalie was just after my money, which was my initial reaction as well, and I felt horrible for it.

"Trust me, no DNA test is needed," laughed Edward as he stepped back from our mother quickly, to avoid any further beat downs. "They are practically twins."

"Did you say they were coming over today?" asked my mother as she jumped from her seat towards the kitchen and I simply nodded. "Does he have any allergies? Can he eat my cookies?" I walked slowly towards my mom and wrapped her in one of my huge bear hugs.

"I know it's a lot to take in, grandma..." I said with a grin as she smacked me on the back. "He's a great kid. Very smart like Rosalie and very athletic and outgoing like me. He loves the Seahawks, the Mariners and fire trucks and I am certain he will love your cookies."

"I don't look old enough to be a grandmother," sighed Esme as I released my hold on her for a moment.

"Then stop harassing us about having grandkids," laughed Edward as he sat down in one of the kitchen chairs, watching our interaction carefully.

We spent the next two hours anxiously awaiting their arrival, while my parents quizzed me about what had happened with Rosalie and Logan during the past six years. They were upset that they hadn't been given the opportunity to know him until now, but Carlisle seemed to get over it a bit faster than Esme. She was angry at first, which then boiled over into utter resentment for the time she had lost with her first grandchild. When she started cursing Rosalie's name, I grabbed my cell phone and threatened to call and cancel, which placated her for the time being. I was worried that the moment Rosalie showed up, Esme would go crazy and try to strangle her, even though she had promised to be on her best behavior.

As Esme and Edward worked together in the kitchen to prepare dinner for all of us, I paced nervously around the hallway while Carlisle read a book in the living room. Everything looked remarkably normal until there was a knock on the door and I practically jumped out of my skin. Everyone was acting unbelievably calm, with the exception of me. I took a moment to compose myself before nervously opening the door.

"Hi Rosalie. Hiya Logan," I added casually as I ran my fingers through his hair and guided them into the house. Edward, Esme and Carlisle stood together in the living room and watched as Logan looked around the house in awe. He stuck close to Rosalie's side, which was what I had been expecting. I knelt down to his level to talk to him as Esme came closer to Rosalie and offered her a hug.

"Nice to see you again Rosalie," she said genuinely as Rosalie nodded at her, smiling casually.

"And you too Esme, Carlisle. The house looks lovely as always," Rosalie said politely as I laughed quietly. She had never cared for my mother's decorating, even back in high school when we were dating seriously and spent almost every day in this house.

"Logan, I have some special people for you to meet," I said anxiously as I stayed knelt down beside him, my hand resting on his shoulder. "This is my mom and dad."

"Nice to meet you Logan," said Esme as she held out her hand to him, and looked like she was going to burst into tears. She spent a few moments studying his face before finally releasing her grip on Logan's little hands. "Yeah, no DNA test is needed, he's definitely Emmett's. Don't you think Carlisle?" asked Esme as she turned back towards my dad, who was looking at the little boy with bright eyes.

"Hey, my name is Carlisle too," laughed Logan as I ruffled his hair again and stood up beside him, with Rosalie on the other side. "People used to make fun of it, but I always liked it."

"I always liked it to," said my father as I noticed him wipe his hand against his eye, brushing away a small tear. Esme guided us all into the living room to relax for a bit as she headed back into the kitchen to fetch some drinks for Rosalie and Logan. When she came back out a few minutes later, she had the tray of peanut butter cookies with her and put them on the table in front of Logan and me.

"Can he have a cookie?" I asked Rosalie as she nodded her head. "They're a bit addictive, so don't have too many or you'll ruin your appetite." I said with a laugh, sounding just like my father when I was younger. Logan reached down and grabbed a cookie, quickly shoving it into his mouth enthusiastically and then he moaned in pleasure.

"That is a yummy cookie Grandma Esme," Logan stated firmly as he reached down for another one. My mouth dropped open and I looked up at my mother who was beaming with pride. She didn't even have to ask him to call her that, he just did it automatically. I couldn't picture Logan calling out for Carlisle Grandpa though, but I am sure it was a matter of time.

"Thanks Logan," Esme said sweetly as she walked back towards the kitchen to finish dinner, a huge smile completely covering her entire face.

"Where's Alice?" asked my father as he tossed his paper aside and watched Logan intently. He was sitting between Rosalie and I on the couch and looked very relaxed, which made me smile since I was desperately hoping he would feel comfortable around me. Tomorrow we had plans to go to Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, all three of us, so that we could spend more time together getting to know one another. Rosalie had originally thought of letting me take Logan out by myself, but I insisted that she join us. I wanted her to see I was worthy of the time she was letting me spend with my son.

"Yeah, where is Auntie Alice and Auntie Bella?" asked Logan defiantly as he stared up at Rosalie, awaiting her reply.

"Auntie Alice is out with Uncle Jasper tonight for dinner and Auntie Bella is home… sick," said Rosalie as she glared over at Edward, who immediately bowed his head remorsefully.

"When we go home, can we stop by Auntie Bella's to give her some of Grandma Esme's yummy cookies?" asked Logan curiously as Rosalie patted his head lightly.

"If your Dad and Uncle Edward don't eat them all first, then we will. I'm sure she would love it," laughed Rosalie as she chastised us both for grabbing yet another cookie. If anyone was going to ruin their appetite, it was going to be Edward and me. I was a bit shocked at Rosalie's words because it was the first time she had used the word 'Dad' to describe me to Logan.

"You heard her Dad, keep your hands off," said Logan as he grabbed the tray of cookies and brought them back into the kitchen before returning to join us. "My girlfriend will want some of them too."

"You have a girlfriend?" asked Carlisle with a laugh as Esme stood in the entryway between the kitchen and living room, listening intently to him.

"Auntie Bella is my girlfriend. Dad said I have comtetit… compute… what's that word dad?"

"Competition?" I replied curiously.

"Yeah, Dad said I have competition from Uncle Edward, but I don't think so," laughed Logan as the rest of us chuckled along with him, except Edward. "I gave her a card I made in school for Valentine's Day and she said she loved it." Logan sounded so proud as he explained how he was busy wooing my brothers girlfriend, and Carlisle and Esme simply snickered at him in awe of his charming ways.

Rosalie ended up excusing herself and went into the kitchen to see if she could be of any assistance to mom. I kept my eye on them while Logan was entertained playing card games with Edward and talking about football with him and Carlisle. I wanted to make sure my mother didn't get Rosalie in a headlock and beat the crap out of her for denying her the past few years, but everything seemed normal between them. We ended up eating dinner a bit earlier than usual, thanks to Rosalie's assistance in the kitchen and she surprisingly seemed pleased to have helped. She had changed so much since high school; I couldn't help but be impressed.

Dinner was casual, although Logan wasn't too fond of any of the vegetables Esme had made to complement the roast beef. It was funny to watch the power struggle between Rosalie, who insisted that he at least try the brussel sprouts and Esme, who told him to only eat what he could manage. Thankfully, Rosalie dropped the issue and we moved onto happier topics, like our trip to the aquarium tomorrow.

"Dinner was lovely, thanks again Esme," said Rosalie as the night wound down and Logan had fallen asleep on the couch in the living room.

"Thanks for allowing us to meet Logan. I'm assuming this means we will see him more often?" asked Esme with a hopeful inflection to her voice as Rosalie simply nodded her head. "Next time Carlisle and I make it into Seattle; we will call in advance to see if you two might be free to spend time with us."

"That sounds wonderful Esme," said Rosalie as she opened the front door and led me out to her car, as I cradled a sleeping Logan. I slipped him into his seat and watched her buckle him in tightly.

"I guess I should get one of those huh?" I asked with a laugh as I pointed down at the booster seat Logan was now strapped into.

"If you ever want him in your car, you definitely need one," she said with a laugh as she surprisingly reached over and hugged me. I was taken aback by what seemed like a show of affection and stepped away from her instinctively, looking at her curiously.

"Thanks for today. Logan had a wonderful time meeting your family, I only wish Alice could have been here to join us." I nodded in acknowledgement of her words and walked with her around the car, closing the door behind her after she got in and buckled up. "I'll see you tomorrow, around ten?"

"Yeah, I'll be there," I said with a tentative smile as she simply waved back at me and pulled out of the driveway into the cold February night. I sat on the porch for a few minutes, staring at the woods that surrounded my parents house and felt Edward sit down beside me, his hands clasp around his knees, which were pulled up to his chest to keep him warm.

"I really fucked up with that girl," I said remorsefully as he patted me on the back.

"Join the club. We have jackets."

**A/N: that last line is from Shrek 2. My daughter made me watch it for the millionth time tonight and I found myself laughing out loud**.


	23. Closed Curtains

**A/N: Let's all say it together… we welcome back coldplaywhore's insomnia. LOL. Actually got this chapter out a lot faster than I expected, so I decided to post it the moment it was done. It's a big smorgasbord of characters… you get some Bella and Edward, some Rosalie and Emmett and a little Logan as well. Enjoy and please review your little hearts out, they make me smile more than snickers, or Canadian smarties (which are not the same as American Smarties.)**

**I don't own twilight, but I do have a subscription to Soap Opera Digest specifically so I can catch up on General Hospital and Young and the Restless!**

**BPOV**

Saturday came and went with no contact from Edward whatsoever, which didn't help my already pissed mindset. I did however, hear from Rosalie, who called just after nine at night to let me know that she and Logan would be over around five on Sunday afternoon with a surprise for me, which left me excited and confused.

On Friday night when I got home from the club, I curled up in bed and cried until I had no more tears left, and then I couldn't sleep. I got up a few times during the night, once to get water and another time to get my laptop so that I could work on my story. The first time I stepped out of my bed, I peeked out the curtain, and sure enough Edward's curtains were open and I could see his figure in a chair, staring out the window. My heart leapt for a moment before I recalled why I was mad in the first place; he never had any time for me.

When he moved here, I knew life would be busy for him while setting up the new office, but I had never thought I would see him twice in a month. Three times if you counted the minute I saw him at Chaos when he yelled at me and Paul. I didn't include that one though. As I sat on my couch late Saturday afternoon, I began to over think things and wonder if he really did want me. I immediately thought that perhaps I was just a means to an end for him when we were in Jackson Hole. He was horny and I was his only release, was the first thought that ran though my head, but I quickly dismissed it. He would never have been as tender and loving with me if it was just sex he was after. I spent the rest of the night on the couch thinking, and when I was done thinking, I cried. I hadn't even cried this much over Jacob, so I knew I was screwed.

On Sunday, I tried to get back to some semblance of a routine, so I did my laundry, made some chicken salad for sandwiches during the week and wrote some more of my book. I had discussed it with my boss a few weeks ago and she was eager to read a few chapters, so I was trying to get them done as quickly as possible so that she could review them. I trusted her opinion and I knew if she liked it, it would definitely be a success. I was in the middle of a pivotal chapter when I heard a soft knock on my door.

"Hiya Auntie Bella," shouted Logan a little too loudly, after I opened the door and he strolled into my apartment like he owned the place. Walking in behind him was Rosalie and Emmett.

"Hi Champ," I said happily as I watched him sit comfortably on my couch. "Come on in guys," I said with a raised eye brow at Rosalie. She knew I was curious as to why Em was with them, but I didn't say anything.

"We were at the aquarium today and Logan wanted to stop by and give you a gift, since I mentioned to him that you were sick and that was why you weren't with us yesterday to meet Grandma and Grandpa Cullen," said Rosalie with a slight snicker as she winked at me.

"Oh yeah, I was very sick," I said as I feigned a cough and Logan jumped up from the couch.

"Oops, I forgot," laughed Logan as he ran towards Emmett who handed him a small Tupperware container. "I didn't make these so you can eat them. They are very yummy and if you don't want them, can I have them back?" I laughed eagerly as Emmett scolded him for offering me a gift and then asking for it back. I flipped open the lid and found a dozen of the best smelling peanut butter cookies I had ever seen in my life. I lifted the container to my nose and took a big whiff, savoring the scent of the peanut butter.

"Thank you very much for the gift, boyfriend," I said with an encouraging smile as I leaned down and kissed Logan on the forehead.

"See Daddy, Uncle Edward has nothing on me," he said with a giggle as he ran back towards the living room where he had turned the TV to the Backyardigans.

"Esme made the cookies and Logan insisted on bringing you some when he found out you were sick. I'm sorry for that by the way, it was the best excuse I could think of," apologized Rosalie as we all sat at the dining room table. Emmett seemed very uncomfortable to be there with us, partaking in girl talk.

"It's fine Rosie. I'll have to call Esme later and thank her for the cookies. How did the meet and greet go?" I asked, this time looking at Emmett for his reaction. He explained to me how Logan took to them like a fish to water and things were progressing very well between the three of them. I kept noticing small glances between Emmett and Rosalie, but didn't question it, for now. Rosalie mentioned how Logan announced to the Cullen family that I was his girlfriend and Carlisle and Esme found it very endearing.

"I'm a one man woman and I think Logan is more than I can handle right now," I said with a laugh as Emmett looked at me disappointed. "What?" I questioned of him as he opened his mouth and closed it quickly. "You look like you want to say something. We're amongst friends Emmett, talk to me."

"Are you really going to give up on Edward?"

"Do I have a choice? I never see the man Emmett. I know setting up a new office is difficult, but I also know people can be hired to do all the things he is doing. He doesn't need to be there to watch every nail get hammered into the wall or every name plaque hung. What was he like in L.A? Was he always busy?" Emmett glared down at the table, his hands clasp together and he was clearly uncomfortable. He knew if he answered the question that he was hammering the final nail in the coffin of my relationship with Edward.

"Yeah, he was always busy. He was never home and it was like pulling teeth to get him to do anything even remotely social, is that what you wanted to hear Bella? He's not in L.A. anymore though, I know he wants to change," sighed Emmett, sounding completely defeated. He was a lot like Esme in his mannerisms and emotion, which he wore on his sleeve. He wanted to protect Edward but he was way too honest to lie to me.

"He's doing a wonderful job of it, isn't he?" I replied rudely as Logan bounced into the dining room now that his show was over. He pulled out the last chair and sat down, looking at us curiously.

"I saw a shark today Auntie Bella. He was huge," I ruffled his hair easily and was happy for the distraction. Logan continued to prattle on about everything he saw at the aquarium for almost half an hour and I was relieved when Rosalie noticed the time and insisted on heading home. I gave each of them a small hug, including Emmett, and Rosalie promised to call later in the week.

"We should plan a girl's night out next weekend. We're all single, so we should go live it up. I'm sure Emmett here would love the chance to have an overnight visit with Logan," said Rosalie anxiously as she gripped my hand in hers reassuringly.

"You're right. I think a girls night out is a good idea, but we can't go to Chaos okay?" Rosalie nodded her head in agreement as they all walked from the apartment, looking like a happy little family. Once I had shut the door, I grabbed my bottle of wine from the fridge and popped it open, drinking straight from the bottle. I wandered into my bedroom, thinking of Edward, and peeked out my curtains again. His curtains were wide open, so mine were staying closed; I rationalized to myself as I headed back to the couch and picked up my laptop. I put my wine on the floor beside the couch and typed until my fingers were numb, which was almost six hours and two bottles of wine later.

The next morning, I woke up late and ended up getting to work almost fifteen minutes late, which didn't escape the notice of my boss, who called me into her office around nine. "Bella, I hope you aren't going to make this a habit," said Charlotte nicely as I insisted that I wouldn't. I handed her the small flash drive which contained my first ten chapters. "What's this?"

"That is the first ten chapters of my book, as requested."

"Already?" she asked curiously as I simply nodded my head. "I'm impressed."

"Well, I've been working on the story since mid-December, so it's not really that fast. I've just had a lot of free time outside of work lately so I was able to move along quicker than I anticipated," I said with a nervous grin as Charlotte smiled at me.

"Give me a few days to look over it all and I will let you know." I walked out of her office feeling relieved, and almost happy. I hadn't been happy since the day after Valentines, so it was certainly a nice change of pace. When I finally sat down at my desk, I let out a big sigh of relief and noticed my cell phone flashing on my desk, which meant I had a text message.

_Sometimes I forget to love you like I should  
But I'd never leave you - no, I never would_

I knew the lyrics immediately, Joshua Radin, yet again. I groaned in frustration that Edward had to resort to a fucking text message to contact me. I deleted it, without responding and turned my phone off, shoving it into my purse in the bottom drawer of my desk, where I would ignore its existence until the end of the day.

I was halfway through the third chapter of the new book I was reviewing when I got an email from Alice.

_I tried to call your cell phone but either your battery is dead or you turned it off. Rosalie said we need a girl's night out and I am game. There's a new club opening up downtown on Saturday night if you are up for it. Let me know if this works for you. I know the owner, so I can get us on the VIP list. Miss You. –A_

I quickly typed up a response, lying to her that the battery had died, and told her I was game for anything this weekend as long as it involved large quantities of alcohol and sexy men I had never slept with before. A night out was just what I needed to move on from all of my hideous mistakes, I laughed to myself as I went back to focusing on the story I was reading. Eric, one of the copywriters strolled by my office around lunch time to see if I was interested in heading out with a few of them for lunch, but I declined and opted to simply grab a bite from the small café on the main floor.

As I wandered down around one to pick up a salad and lemonade, I took a moment to turn on my phone to see if I had missed anything important. Three missed calls from Alice and four missed texts from Edward as well, all of which I decided to delete before being reading. There was no way I was being apologized to via text message. Apparently working too much had fried his damned brain, I laughed to myself as I turned my cell back off and went back to my office to force down my lunch and finish the day. When I finally crawled into bed that night, I congratulated myself for finishing day one of my newly single life. I only had twenty two thousand more to go, and I needed a few cats too. Crazy single ladies had cats didn't they?

**EPOV**

"Tell me you are not texting her," sighed Emmett as he strolled into my office around eleven in the morning on Monday. I was leaning back in my chair, my tie loosened and my feet propped on my new desk. Emmett pushed my feet from the desk and snatched my phone from my hands. "Four fucking texts? Can't you just call the girl?"

"She won't answer," I replied dejectedly as Emmett read through the messages.

"If she won't answer your calls, do you really think she will read your text messages? Are any of these even an original thought? They all look like fucking song lyrics," he asked as he tossed the phone onto a pile of papers on my desk. "You fucked up man. You are definitely the head of our little club. I'm still waiting for my jacket by the way."

I laughed at Emmett for a moment as I recalled his words. "How do you know how bad I screwed up? Did you talk to her? Did Rosalie say something yesterday?" I asked desperately as he sat in the chair across from my desk and started to fidget with his hands. He clearly knew more than he was telling me.

"I saw her yesterday. I was with Rosie and Logan when they dropped off the cookies after our trip to the aquarium," he began to say as my eyes lit up with excitement. "Unless you can learn to balance work and personal life, you're screwed. She doesn't want to be second best Edward, especially to your work."

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" I asked curiously. I was never really one to go to Emmett for advice, but for the first time ever, I felt like he had the answers I needed.

"I told you… you need to find harmony between your work life and your personal life. You need to leave the office at five o'clock and not answer calls on the weekend. If you are with her, don't check your iPhone for work emails and don't make plans with her and then don't fucking show up man. That's just mean." I nodded my head in acknowledgement of his words as he stood from the chair and walked to the doorway. "If you don't think you can change, you need to get over her and find a girl who doesn't give a shit about you man."

I laid my arms across my desk and laid my head down on them, feeling utterly horrible for the way I had treated Bella lately. It was no wonder she was livid with me for not showing up on time at the club, even though it was unavoidable. _You could have rescheduled till Monday, Jackass_. I immersed myself in work for the rest of the day, taking a quick break for lunch and to randomly check my iPhone for any response from Bella. There was none. When I got home after nine, I didn't even need to look up at her apartment to know the curtains were closed. Before I crawled into bed that night, I closed my curtains in defeat and popped a melatonin to help me sleep. It didn't work that night, or the next three nights for that matter.

When I strolled into work later than usual on Friday morning, Emmett was already waiting for me in my office. "Well look at this morose mother fucker right here," he said with a grin as I tossed my briefcase on my desk and began to remove my coat.

"Watching Chasing Amy again?" I asked curiously as Emmett nodded his head.

"Yeah, I have a preference for movies that reference Degrassi Junior High and girls that say 'aboot'," he said with a hearty laugh as I hung up my jacket and took my seat. "Nothing huh? That was funny."

"No, it was funny when you referenced it back in 1998, but now it's just overdone," I replied seriously as Emmett simply leaned back in the chair and glared at me.

"When was the last time you slept?" he asked as he continued to keep his eyes trained on me, as though he was expecting me to crack at any moment.

"Last night."

"Bullshit. You look like complete crap. Go home. I think I can handle hiring the last few people," Emmett said, his voice dripping with concern.

"Emmett, the last time you hired someone it was Chesley. Her bra size was bigger than her I.Q. and she quit after four days because she thought she was going to become Mrs. Emmett Cullen. You are not hiring anyone. I can handle it," I replied rudely to him as I took a sip of my latte and turned on my computer.

"Listen brother, seeing as you won't take my previous advice, perhaps you will listen to this one. The girls are going out tomorrow night to some club. They are three hot, single girls, with nothing better to do than drink away their troubles and find new men that won't fuck them like we have done. If you don't call her, she will easily find someone tomorrow night that wants to make time for her. Do you want to lose her because you can't work up the nerve to talk to her?" I hadn't been aware that the girls were going out on Saturday night. Of course I didn't know. The only person I had talked to all week outside of the office had been my mother and even she yelled at me for not fixing things with Bella yet. "Are you going to change?"

"I don't know Emmett. It's not as easy as you make it out to be. I've been at the office past eight every single night this week," I said with a sigh as I explained all the things I had been working on after hours. Emmett didn't look pleased at all, in fact, he was downright pissed.

"I hope you realize that you are letting the best thing that ever fucking happened to you walk out of your life. Bella deserves a hell of a lot better than you little brother," he snapped angrily as he stormed from my office, slamming the door behind him. "I'm gone for the day," he screamed at the top of his lungs so that the entire office could hear him. Sure, we only had ten employees right now, but they all heard him, and every single word of our argument. I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes, desperately wishing for a time machine so that I could go back a month and do everything right.

**EMPOV**

When I stormed out of Edward's office, I immediately knew what had to be done, and it had nothing to do with my idiot of a brother. I announced to the office that I was leaving for the day as I glanced down at my watch, it was nine twenty in the morning and Rosalie would definitely be at work, so I grabbed my cell phone and called her. At least I had the balls to call the girl I was in love with, I laughed to myself as I waited patiently for her to pick up.

"Good Morning Rosalie Hale," she said politely as I instantly smiled at the sound of her voice.

"Hey Rose," I said casually as she took a moment to realize who was calling her.

"Hey Emmett, what's going on?" she asked, sounding extremely curious and a bit nervous. I could picture her twirling her hair around her finger, like she always did when she was anxious.

"I was actually wondering if you were free for lunch today. I had a few things I wanted to talk to you about and I know you're busy tomorrow, so I thought lunch would be a good idea."

"Sure Emmett. Can you meet me down at the Waterside Café around one?" she inquired as I asked her for directions to the café. I had no idea where it was, but she explained that it was fairly close to her office and she had a meeting at three that she couldn't be late for. We agreed to meet and once I was done talking to Rosalie, I called Alice.

"What are you doing baby sister?" I asked loudly as I sat in my Jeep and turned it on swiftly.

"I'm actually at home this morning. I took the day off to clear my head. Why, what's up with you?" I spent the next five minutes convincing Alice to come shopping with me for Logan's room. We had planned to do it on Sunday afternoon, but now that she was going out with Bella and Rosalie tomorrow night, there was no way she would be up to shopping with a hangover. She squealed with glee when I explained that I was watching Logan tomorrow night and she was suddenly on board. I picked her up at her place fifteen minutes later and we headed to the nearest department store.

"What about this one?" I asked as I held up a set of 'Cars' bedding. Alice had already picked up a twin sized bed for him, which would be delivered first thing the next morning. She grabbed the bed set from me and tossed it back on the shelf.

"Cars are like five years ago or whatever. Go simple, classic, like this one," she said with confidence as she shoved a blue set at me that was covered with red fire trucks.

"Don't you think we are going overboard with the fire truck theme?" I asked nervously. I had no idea what Logan would like for his bedroom. I barely knew what I liked in my own room other than a naked girl on my bed and a mirror on my ceiling, but both of those were out of the question with my five year old son about to visit.

"No Emmett. He loves fire trucks; it's like his fucking obsession. Just get it and you can thank me later," she said with a grin as we walked towards the cashier with our cart full of stuff. We had picked up a few toys for him since I had nothing in my apartment as well as a lamp, bed set as well as a few extra blankets and pillows. As we were walking out of the store with our purchases in hand, I took a moment to gauge Alice's reaction to what I was about to do with Rosalie today.

"Are you mad that Bella and Edward broke up?" I asked as we opened the back door and tossed the bags into the back seat of my car.

"No. I expected it. I'm sure it's mean to say but Bella tends to be a bit needy and Edward is a workaholic. They just didn't seem like a match made in heaven to me. I was floored when he said he loved her to us at the club. Of course, just like I expected, he hadn't told her this." Alice was frustrated as she talked about them and I'm sure she just wanted to scream out 'I told you so' but she didn't.

"He hasn't even called her all week, even though he text messaged her some song lyrics," I said with a quiet laugh as Alice practically doubled over in laughter in the front seat of my Jeep.

"I love Bella with all my heart, but she doesn't deserve that. Seriously, could you get any more lame than text messaging someone song lyrics in an attempt to apologize. He really screwed the pooch on that one. Maybe tomorrow night I can help her find someone a little more decent," laughed Alice, still thinking about Edward's awkward text messages.

"Can you not pimp out Rosalie tomorrow night?" I requested nervously as we pulled out of our parking space and headed back to Alice's apartment. "I'm going to ask her out on a real date, just her and me, today."

"Emmett, do you really think that is a good idea?" asked Alice curiously as she glanced over at me for a moment, my hands gripped firmly to the wheel and my eyes staring straight ahead.

"I think Logan deserves to have his parents together," I began to say as Alice looked at me disappointed. "That isn't the only reason Ali. Spending time with her these past few weeks has awakened my feelings for her and I really want to give it a shot."

"I'm not going to interfere, but if things end up badly I may just feel the need to say 'I told you so'," commented Alice as we pulled up to a stop light and I took a moment to glare at her.

"I'm not Edward. I'm not going to fuck this one up."


	24. Fail of Epic Proportions

**A/N: Gasp! An update on a Sunday afternoon. Who's shocked? I know, I am too. I had written this last night, but was too tired to post it, so here it is today. I promise not to leave it here before the move. There will be one more chapter posted before my flight on Tuesday morning, I promise.**

**I don't own twilight, but I did do some research into the world's largest fiddle and the cereal capital of the world. *wink wink***

**BPOV**

"Alice, you're too fricking early," I called out as I wandered to the front door to answer it after there was a few soft knocks while I was in the bedroom getting dressed for our girls night out. I had decided to wear the red dress I picked up for Valentine's Day with Edward a few weeks ago. I paid too much for that dress for it not to get used again, I reminded myself as I was picking my outfit out earlier in the evening. When I opened the door, I was surprised to find Edward instead of Alice.

"I'm sorry I'm not Alice," he said remorsefully as he gripped a small bouquet of pink tulips in his hands. His knuckles were white both from nervousness and from clutching the flowers so tightly. He looked sickly, which made the evil part of me smile. His eyes looked tired and he had big black bags under them and Edward didn't even seem as confident as he had been back in Wyoming.

"Yeah me too. Can I help you with something?" I asked curiously, deciding not to invite him into the apartment. He stood still and opened his mouth for a moment before shutting it again. He did this three more times before I finally got exasperated. "If you aren't going to say anything, I really have to get ready to go out tonight."

"These are for you," said Edward nervously as he finally handed the flowers over to me after being at my door for almost two minutes. "I know you are busy tonight, but I was wondering if you were free on Sunday?" Yeah, I was free on Sunday, but he didn't need to know this I rationalized to myself as I stared at his deep green eyes, which were filled with sadness.

"I'm not sure. Can I let you know tomorrow?" I asked, curious to his reaction. I was actually hoping to spend some time with Rosalie and Logan, but I wasn't sure of their plans for the weekend yet. I had planned to discuss it with her when we got to the bar that night.

"Um… yeah, that would be fine. I just wanted to talk to you about everything and apologize," said Edward with a sigh as I glared at him in frustration.

"Can I be honest?" I asked as Edward simply nodded his head. "I think that you heard I was going out for a girls night and wanted to apologize before I got drunk and hooked up with someone else, which even though sounds like a good idea right now, I would never do."

"I never said that Bella," he stammered angrily as I glared at him again and he shut up.

"Did you know I was going out tonight?"

"Well, yeah. Emmett mentioned it earlier today. He's babysitting Logan tonight," said Edward after he had shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

"It's not called babysitting Edward. He's Logan's father, so they call it parenting. Would you have come here tonight if you didn't know I was going out?" Edward didn't say anything, proving my point. He wouldn't have come if he didn't think I was going out tonight. If he knew I was home alone tonight, wallowing in a pint of Haagen Dazs, he would have left me alone. "That's what I thought. If I get a chance, I'll call you and let you know about Sunday. Don't hold your breath," I said angrily as I closed the door behind him, locking it tightly and throwing his flowers into the garbage. I strolled into the bathroom, wiping tears from my eyes and continued to get ready for what was surely going to be a shitty evening.

"What happened to you?" Rosalie asked when Alice and I showed up at the club an hour and a half later. She was sitting at a table near the dance floor, already sipping on a beer when we walked in and saw her. One of Alice's biggest clients was the owner of the new club, Tonic, and she had managed to finagled us onto the guest list in exchange for a ten percent discount each time they were in the store. When we had pulled up in front of the bar in our cab, we were relieved to not have to wait because the line was clear down the block and it was only nine thirty.

"Edward," said Alice with a sigh as we sat down in our seats and waited patiently for a waitress to come and take our order.

"Oh, what the hell did he do now?" laughed Rose as Alice decided to retell my story for me. When Alice showed up at my apartment earlier and found the flowers in the garbage, she instantly questioned what had happened, and I explained everything in great detail. Thankfully, she had agreed with my reaction wholeheartedly. "So, he showed up because he knew you were going out and didn't want to take a chance that you might meet someone else? Sounds like a challenge to me," laughed Rosalie again as she began to scope out the room for eligible guys for me to meet.

"Thanks for thinking of me Rose, but I'm here to spend time with you girls. Remember, single girls night, right?" I said with a grin as the waitress came by and I quickly ordered a rum and coke before I looked over at the girls and they both looked anxious.

"Emmett asked me out today and we're going out on Sunday night," said Rosalie with a small smile as she began to explain her lunch meeting with Emmett today. "It was actually very sweet and he was clearly nervous. I will admit to having had some of my old feelings come back to life recently as we spent time together, but I never in a million years thought he felt the same way."

"I'm happy for you Rosie," exclaimed Alice as she began to tell us how Jasper was taking her out to dinner tomorrow night as well. "He's calling it a new start. I guess he talked to Edward and Emmett at the bar last week and sort of came to his senses." I felt my heart fall for a moment, realizing that this girls night was originally to celebrate being single and now I was the only single girl. Well, neither of them was in solid relationships, but they were a lot closer than me.

We spent the next hour talking about anything that came to mind, and as per usual, Alice and Rosalie had more to talk about than me. Rosalie started out by telling us almost every single detail of the meeting with Esme and Carlisle the week before, and Alice continually expressed her regret for being unable to join them. Rose also told us about how well Emmett and Logan seemed to be adjusting to one another, which was one of the main reasons she had decided to agree to the date with Emmett in the first place. Alice then explained to us how Jasper had been more attentive lately and that even though their plans last weekend involved dinner with his family, he seemed more interested in her than he had been in a long time. I was glad things were going well for both of them romantically, I told myself with a laugh as I headed up to the bar to order myself another drink as they headed off to the bathroom.

I didn't have to wait long because apparently I caught the eye of yet another bartender, who quickly came over to me while keeping his eyes trained on my breasts, not my face. "What can I get for you?" he asked with a smirk as I eyed him up for a moment involuntarily. He was cute enough, but definitely not my type with long blonde hair and a devious smile.

"Just a rum and coke," I said confidently as he quickly poured the drink and slid it on the bar towards me.

"That will be four fifty and your phone number," he said with a grin as I threw my five dollar bill on the bar and walked back to the table, completely ignoring his second request. When I glanced back over at the bar a little while later, sure enough, he was watching me out of the corner of his eye with a smile as wide as his face.

"So, didn't we come here to dance?" laughed Alice she finished her margarita and slammed the glass a little too forcefully against the table. She then grabbed both Rosalie and I by the hand and dragged us onto the floor as 'Blame It' by Jamie Foxx came through the speakers, causing the entire crowd to dance eagerly to the beat. As I stood out onto the dance floor, moving in time to my friends, I realized this was the last place I wanted to be right now. I really wanted to be back in Jackson Hole with Edward. Even the early days of us fighting were better than what we had right now, which was nothing.

I was about to lie to Alice that I wasn't feeling well after only ten minutes of dancing, when I felt a tap on my shoulder, and turned around to look right in the face of someone from my past. "Nikolas, what in the hell are you doing here?" I asked eagerly, my voice brimming with excitement. I wrapped my arms around his neck while he pulled me into a big hug, his arms around my waist tightly. I glanced over and Alice and Rosalie were both giving me looks of approval for finding a man on my own.

"I'm in town on a conference, I'm a guest speaker. The life of an author is always a busy one," he said with a laugh as I pulled him from the dance floor and back to the table to find out what he had been up to recently. Nikolas had been one of the first authors I had approved of when I started editing two years ago. I was so excited when his book landed on the New York Times Bestseller's list that I went out and bought myself a new pair of heels. It became a ritual for me over the years, and I now had six pairs of ridiculously overpriced shoes in my closet that Alice borrowed more than I actually wore.

We ended up chatting for the next hour about his new book that he was writing and how he was so excited for me to read it first. His last book tour had left him exhausted and he ended up taking a yearlong break before even typing anything of significance again. When Rosalie and Alice wandered over and found us deep in conversation, it was almost two in the morning and they were both sweating booze from their all night dance-a-thon. "Call me tomorrow Bella," he said happily as he scribbled his cell number on the back of a napkin. "I'm staying at the Olympic, and I'm in town till Monday night. My last appointment is at five on Monday and I'm taking the red eye back to New York."

"Well then, expect a call from me tomorrow or later today," I said with a grin as I folded the napkin up neatly and shoved it into my purse before I helped Alice and Rosalie out of the bar and towards the nearest cab. Rosie and Alice were staying at Alice's place and I gave the cab driver their address first, as I shimmied into the back of the cab beside them.

"So… who's Nikolas?" asked Alice with a huge drunken smile. Rosalie and Alice high fived each other, apparently pleased that I had been talking to a guy all night.

"He was the author of the first book I ever approved," I said, sounding very pleased with myself.

"You were talking about work all night that that hot piece of ass?" asked Rosalie as she giggled loudly, causing both Alice and our cab driver to laugh along with her. I had never really thought of Nikolas as hot until Rosalie mentioned it. He certainly had a strong jaw and dark brown eyes, which worked well with his short dark brown hair, but he wasn't hot to me. He was just Nikolas Morgan, the first major step forward in my career.

"You could bounce quarters off his ass," laughed Alice a few moments later as I began to blush.

"For your reference, he's gay," I said with a chuckle as Alice and Rosalie hung their heads in disappointment.

"You're just saying that to stop us from encouraging this," said Rosalie with a huff as she crossed her arms across her chest in frustration. I now wished I had been paying more attention to her drinking tonight because she was at least five drinks over her limit as I watched her pull of her shoes and throw them at Alice with a giggle.

"Sorry ladies. He's definitely not into me, well not romantically or sexually. His first book had five guy on guy scenes in it and I've met his boyfriend, Lionel, on several different occasions." I laughed as they both looked at me a bit shocked as I mentioned his book and what it entailed. They should just be glad I didn't go into the great detail that Nikolas had in his book.

"Why are all the good ones usually gay or married?" sighed Alice as the driver pulled up in front of her building. The two girls got out as I gave him instructions to my place, which thankfully was only five minutes away. When we finally arrived and I paid for both trips, I quickly stepped out of the cab and looked up at Edward's window. The light in his bedroom was on, but his curtains were still closed. I could see some light through the edges of his curtains, but I immediately began to wonder why he was awake this late at night. He was probably working again I laughed to myself as I shook my head from all further thoughts of him and stumbled into my building, eager to get into my apartment and pass out.

**EPOV**

After Bella had closed the door in my face, I stood there for a moment, simply staring at it, wondering yet again where I had gone wrong. I knew damn well that I wouldn't have gotten up the nerve to come over and talk to her if she hadn't had plans for the evening, but I couldn't bring myself to lie to her about it. As I headed back to my apartment, I ran my hands through my hair in frustration before I sat down on her stoop and contemplated what the hell I needed to do to get her back. Emmett had been a great sounding board lately for my issues, so I called him up.

"I know you are watching Logan tonight, but can I come over?" I asked nervously as I offered to bring pizza and movies.

"Sure, you can come over, but don't bring anything with you. I'm trying to make us a home cooked meal. Rosalie is supposed to drop him off in about half an hour, so you can probably help me before she gets here," laughed Emmett as I heard a timer go off in the background. I agreed to his requests and headed back to my building, heading straight into the underground parking and hopping into the Volvo to head across town.

When I got to his door, I could already smell something awful coming from the apartment. In fact, it smelt a bit like burnt tire. When Emmett finally opened the door, I was relieved to see that Logan hadn't arrived yet. "What the hell are you cooking?" I asked with a laugh as I crossed the room and opened the window to get some fresh air into the apartment.

"The recipe said pepper steak, but I think I used too much pepper and lemon. I don't know. I forgot you had the measuring cups and spoons, so I made educated guesses," said Emmett with a sad grin as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Emmett, I have never seen you boil water yet alone make pepper steak. How the hell can you make an educated guess?" I said with a laugh as Emmett turned off the stove and picked up the phone to call the local Pizza Hut. When Rosalie showed up with Logan a little bit later, I was able to close the window because the horrid smell had almost completely disappeared, unfortunately it was also pretty cold in the apartment now.

"Is it always like an ice box in here?" asked Rosalie after Emmett had opened the door and let her and Logan in. Logan was clutching a small Spiderman backpack and was looking around the apartment in awe. I think he was most impressed by the TV Emmett had, which seemed to take up almost an entire wall. Whereas I barely felt the need for one, Emmett's had to be larger than life. The TV's were almost representative of our personalities it seemed. I got comfortable on the couch as Emmett showed Rosalie and Logan the bedroom he had set up earlier in the day, and Rosalie actually seemed impressed.

"We can get more stuff for the room eventually, but I thought this was a decent start," laughed Emmett as he began to explain how he and Alice had gone shopping for everything only yesterday. His story was getting very long winded when Rosalie interrupted him, because she was now running a bit late.

"Okay honey, you have a good time with Dad and Uncle Edward. I'll be back tomorrow morning around ten to pick you up. We have to head to Ethan's birthday party in the afternoon." Logan simply nodded his head and gave her a small hug as we all watched Rosalie leave, excited to have a night out.

"So, what's for dinner? I hope it's not whatever smells bad in here," said Logan honestly as Emmett and I both laughed at him heavily. We continued to laugh for a few more moments when there was suddenly a knock on the door, our pizza had arrived, and Logan's eyes lit up. "I love Pizza Hut," he screamed happily as he ran over to the dining room table and took a seat, eagerly anticipating his dinner.

"We can eat in the living room buddy," said Emmett with amusement as he put a piece of pizza onto a plate and brought it over to the coffee table. Logan looked a little hesitant to move from the dining room table, but the pizza was definitely calling to him.

"Let me guess, your mom doesn't let you eat in the living room huh?" I asked as I grabbed a few pieces of the supreme and headed to sit on the love seat, with the beer I had just opened. Logan shook his head from side to side and I smiled as I glanced over at Emmett. "Well, your Dad isn't one for formality. He'd probably let you eat it in your underwear if you wanted." Logan simply laughed as he finally sat down on the floor in front of the coffee table and greedily bit into his pizza.

"So, what's going on with you little brother?" asked Emmett as he glanced over at me curiously. For almost half an hour, I had completely forgotten why I had come here to begin with, because it certainly wasn't for pizza and Batman cartoons with my brother and nephew. "Bella again huh?" he asked as he sensed my mood.

"I went over and saw her tonight. To say I was brutally rebuffed would be the understatement of the year," I said with a sigh as Logan turned back towards me and smiled.

"She likes it when you bring her cookies. Have Grandma Esme make more and bring them to her and me too." Emmett ruffled his hair for a moment as they both turned back to the dinner for a moment.

"I brought her flowers," I said confidently, even though I was pretty sure they were in her garbage or trash compactor by now.

"What did you guys talk about?" asked Emmett as he reached over and grabbed his Heineken, taking a quick sip before glancing back at me for my response.

"I told her that I wanted to talk to her and that even though she was going out tonight, I was hoping she would get together with me on Sunday," I said ruefully as tentatively took a bite of my pizza. My appetite disappeared when I explained to Emmett how Bella had accused me of only coming to see her because I knew she was going out and I wanted to stop her from hooking up with other guys.

"Was that the reason you went?" he asked as he looked at me angrily. "Please tell me that was not the reason you went to see her Edward." Unfortunately, just like back at Bella's apartment, I couldn't discount what he was saying. "You are a complete fucking idiot."

"That's a bad word Daddy," sighed Logan from the floor as Emmett patted his head to placate him.

"Sorry buddy. What I meant to say was 'you are a complete fucking douchebag'" laughed Emmett as both Logan and I glared at him. "Okay, no more swearing. Don't tell your mom and you can have ice cream before bed," suggested Emmett as Logan pretended to close his mouth like a zipper and we both laughed at his sense of humor.

"She called me out on it and I said nothing in return. Before she slammed the door in my face, she told me not to hold my breath for her to call me about Sunday," I admitted sadly as I finally put my plate off to the side and took a big swig of my beer. "I know I screwed up, but I can't help it sometimes. You of all people know that I have a horrible track record with women. I have never loved anyone as much as I love Bella, and when she's not with me I think about her. When she's out with other people, I get jealous that they get to spend time with her and I don't."

"Edward, for the last fricking time, you do realize that you not spending time with her is your own damned fault right?" I nodded my head remorsefully as Emmett continued his rant. "The office is doing well, so take some time to enjoy it. You are part owner of a successful advertising firm, but you bust your ass like a first year employee desperate to impress the boss. You need to set limits and follow them."

As we continued our dinner in silence, I let Emmett's words sink in and I realized he was right. We discussed my new schedule for almost twenty minutes as Logan busied himself playing with a few of the new toys Emmett had picked up earlier in the day. We agreed that I could work as early as seven in the morning, but come five thirty at night, I had to be out of the office. Emmett justified that there was no way I would need to focus my attention that late at night, unless there was a big deadline looming, but all the employees would face the same deadline as us. When I finally left that night, I felt somewhat at ease about everything, but this was just the first step to getting Bella back.

The next afternoon, I was busy tidying up the apartment when I glanced out my bedroom window to notice Bella's curtains were wide open. I couldn't see her in the bedroom at all, but I took it as a positive sign and grabbed my shoes and coat and decided to head across the street to talk to her. As I stepped towards the front door of my building, my heart sank as I noticed Bella walk out of her building, arm in arm, with some short haired Greek looking god. He was handsome I supposed, but she was smiling easily at him as they walked down the street together, going god knows where. It took all of my effort to not follow them to find out what was going on. As I heard her laugh genuinely with him, I also noticed her look back towards my building, as though she was checking out my apartment for signs of life.

I wandered back upstairs and quickly closed the curtains again before glancing down at her own bedroom and realized that sometimes curtains were just curtains and nothing more. I slumped down in my chair beside the window and tossed my head into my hands as I started to finally grasp the severity of what I had done. Bella wasn't mine anymore.


	25. The Lodge

**A/N: I think this is the last chapter before the move. There might be another one, depending on how whether or not I can sleep tonight, but otherwise, this is it for a few days.**

**Thanks to everyone for the safe move wishes and for all the reviews. I think I got my most reviews on the last chapter of the story. Apparently you guys don't like it when Bella and Edward are broken up LOL.**

**Have a great Memorial Day.**

**I don't own twilight, but I am almost all packed for Canada.**

**BPOV**

I didn't call Edward on Sunday like he had asked me. I was beyond tired from being dragged halfway through Seattle by Nikolas the day before. All throughout the day, we visited almost every bookstore in the city to see if they were carrying his book. Luckily, this was just in between all the other shops he took me to, which included several different menswear stores, Hugo Boss being my favorite. I sat in one of the chairs as he tried on a few different suits, each time requesting my opinion, but not really caring what I had to say, which made me laugh. In fact, I laughed most of the day with Nikolas, which was something I had been sorely missing for the past few days.

When we finally sat down for lunch, Nikolas insisted I pour my heart out to him about all of my recent troubles; he ended up telling me to suck it up. He laughed at me for blowing everything out of proportion and insisted that if I cared for Edward even a little bit, I should do whatever it took to make it work with him. I quickly moved us onto happier topics and was a relieved when then we had finished eating and Nikolas dragged me back through the cold Seattle streets for more shopping. Nikolas enjoyed shopping almost as much as Alice and it was frustrating and tiring. I was able to convince him to let me head home just before dinner, and when I got there, I made myself a quick sandwich and passed out on the couch.

"What are you doing my Bella?" asked Alice when she called in the middle of the afternoon on Sunday.

"I'm arranging my CD's by color as I dance around and sing Journey songs," I said with a laugh as Alice groaned at my sarcasm. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing, but I was hungry. Did you want to go for dinner at The Lodge, say at like five thirty?" she asked nervously as I stood up and looked in my fridge. Well, it was either baking soda and cheese slices or dinner out with Alice.

"Sounds good sweetie, I'll be there," I said happily as I reminded myself to hit the grocery store on the way home from work tomorrow night to stock up the fridge. I had been lacking any major food for the past two weeks, and I missed cooking, even though these days it usually reminded me of Edward. I had a quick shower and got dressed in some jeans and a loose fitting sweater before deciding to walk the three blocks to the restaurant. I was glad Alice had picked this place because we hadn't been in months and it was right between her apartment and mine, which was an added convenience when we had been drinking.

"Evening Bella," said Mel the bartender as I walked in a quickly ordered a beer from the bar.

"Is Alice here yet?" I asked nervously as I took a seat and stared around the restaurant looking for her. We had always loved this place because it reminded us of her cabin in Jackson Hole with the wooden walls and plank flooring. There was a bunch of moose heads hanging on the wall, which in my opinion, was sorely missing at the cabin.

"Yeah, she's in the back room," said Mel anxiously as he handed me my bottle of Corona and I headed towards the back, where they usually held different functions like bachelor and after-work parties. I had even dragged a few of the crazies from my office here one day last summer for an all night beer fest, which ended with me punching one of the guys from accounting who accidently grabbed my ass. Ah, good times, I laughed to myself as I pushed open the door and came face to face with Edward instead of Alice.

"Oh come on, what the fuck is going on now?" I yelled angrily as I turned around to leave and Mel locked the door behind me, while shrugging his shoulders.

"Apparently Alice is well liked around here," said Edward with a nervous laugh as I thought about reaching up and pounding on the door until Mel finally relented and let me go. "They are under strict instructions to leave us alone for at least half an hour, so you can either sulk by the door or talk to me."

"Isn't that rich? You suddenly want to talk to me," I blurted out angrily as I threw myself down on one of the couches on the far side of the room. I used to like this room, with its rich pine board walls and dark brown leather couches flanking the walls, but now I suddenly felt claustrophobic. "Isn't this considered kidnapping?"

"Whatever," sighed Edward as he came over to the couch and sat at the far end opposite of me. "If we need to argue to make things better between us, then by all means, let's fight it out. I'm an idiot, a jackass and a bastard for acting the way I have for the past month, but it never meant I didn't care about you. I just had my priorities all fucked up." He turned his body around to face me as I took a nervous gulp of my drink.

"Yeah, you did fuck up. I was falling for you and then you starting ignoring me. When I'd call you, you were always busy with work. When we made plans, you either cancelled them or showed up late. No offence, but your actions didn't exactly show that you cared about me," I said in frustration as I fought back tears. "Then you finally show up at my door, on the day I was going clubbing with my girlfriends in an effort to make sure I knew you cared about me before I did something stupid like have a one night stand. Is there anything about me that screams 'whore'?"

"No," he said sadly as he hung his head against his chest.

"Then what made you think I would do something like that?" I asked as I crossed my arms tightly across my chest, trying to be confident, but failing miserably.

"I don't have a good track record with women Bella. Other than blood relatives, you are the girl I have ever cared the most for and I don't know how to handle that." Edward sounded downright depressed as he spoke and it made my heart break again. Why the hell did he have this effect on me?

"Why the hell are we here?" I asked curiously as I took another sip of my drink and leaned my head against the back of the couch, closing my eyes tightly, as I awaited his words.

"Well, I couldn't exactly fly you down to Jackson Hole to apologize. Alice recommended this place because she said it reminded both of you of the cabin. We were happy at the cabin. We were in… " stopped Edward for a moment as he turned away from me and grew silent.

"We were in what?" I asked in frustration, pissed off that he couldn't finish whatever the hell he was trying to say.

"We were in… love at the cabin. At least I was. I never said it, but it didn't mean I didn't feel it," said Edward, as my mouth hung wide open and he began to pace around the room. He was in love with me? What the hell? "I fell in love with you the night we had our Christmas together and made love in front of the fire. I started imagining weddings and babies, and ask anyone in my family, because that is simply not me." I was still in shock by his half assed admittance of love; I don't think I heard anything else he managed to say after that.

We sat in silence for a few minutes before I ended up opening my mouth, "What do you want?"

"I want a chance to change, with you. Emmett is already forcing me into new office hours where I leave the building by five thirty every day at the latest. He even talked about making building security drag me out of my office if I was refusing to leave," he said with a gentle laugh as he came back to the couch to sit down beside me, this time closer than previously. "I want us to go on dates again and I want to be able to call you my girlfriend."

"I want that too. I've spent the last nine days basically getting upset over all of this, but Nikolas made me realize that I should fight for what I want, and ever since like day four at the cabin I've wanted you," I said sweetly as Edward grabbed my hand in his and leaned over for a kiss.

"Who's Nikolas?"

"He's the first author I ever got published," I admitted honestly as Edward gave me a smile. "Alice already told you huh?"

"Yeah, she might have mentioned something when I called her yesterday freaking out after I saw you leaving your apartment building with a guy," said Edward a bit nervously. I think he thought I was going to get upset over the fact that he came to his senses after seeing that he had competition. "I'm more worried about Logan stealing you from me than Nikolas though."

"Well Logan is a little charmer, plus when he comes over he brings me gifts. I got a Valentines' card a few weeks ago and cookies last weekend. You have some tough shoes to fill Edward," I said with a laugh as he pulled me into his arms and hugged me gently.

"I hate fighting with you," he said sweetly as he kissed the top of my head and we both looked towards the door, where Mel was standing, holding it open.

"I didn't hear anymore screaming and yelling. I wanted to make sure you hadn't strangled each other," he said as he shrugged his shoulders and closed the door behind him, laughing easily.

"Let's go into the restaurant and eat a meal together for once," I suggested as I stood up and offered him my hand. He slipped his fingers into mine and I pretended to take a lot of effort to pull his weight up from the couch. As we walked back into the main restaurant and noticed Mel smile at us, he pointed to a booth in the back and Edward and I slipped in beside each other.

"Hey Bella," said Cindy, one of the waitresses, as she came over to our table with a few menus for us. "Tonight's soup is Cream of Broccoli and Cheddar. Who is this tall drink of water you've got beside you?" she asked with a grin as she began to bite the end of her pen, trying to be sexy. Cindy had big blonde hair, all styled a la 1987 and Edward simply grinned at her stupidly.

"This is my boyfriend Edward," I said easily as she began to look disappointed. "I'll give you guys a few more minutes to check out the menu." We spent the next forty five minutes talking about his work and the major changes that had happened at the office since I had been there last. I got a chance to let him know that I had submitted the first ten chapters of my story to my boss and I was awaiting her response, which I hoped would be on Monday when I got into the office. After we finally finished our dinner and stood outside the restaurant, we looked at each other anxiously, completely unsure of what to do.

"Umm… I walked here because I needed to fresh air," he said simply as I laughed and explained that I had done the exact same thing. We turned south and started to walk back to our buildings in the cold air, and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close to him. "If I hadn't done anything, would you have talked to me again?"

"Well, I would have probably seen you at Alice's eventual wedding and maybe some christenings for some of the little babies she keeps talking about having, so I was sure I would talk to you at some point," I said with a laugh as he looked disappointed. "I told you that Nikolas knocked some sense into me and reminded me to fight for what I wanted. I was going to contact you during the week, once I had time to let everything soak in."

"I'm glad I made a move then," he said sounding completely relieved as I leaned up and kissed his neck gently.

"I'm glad you made a move too," I said with a sigh as I felt his hands reach up into my hair. "It's still early. Do you want to do something else tonight?"

**EPOV**

Hell yes I wanted to do something else tonight. I wanted to get her naked and in my bed as soon as humanly possible, I thought to myself as I tried to think of the right words to say to her. Sure sex was foremost in my mind, but I didn't want to push Bella and I wasn't sure what was going through her head these days, especially when it came to her and I.

"Whatever you want to do is fine with me," I said casually as I kissed the top of her head again and we continued our walk back to our apartments in the freezing late February night.

"Why don't we go back to my place for a movie and some hot cocoa, oh wait, I don't have any," she said sweetly as I laughed for a moment. "What's wrong?"

"I thought you always had cocoa around Bella?" I replied curiously as she smiled up at me brightly.

"I do usually, but it's been a rough few days and I forgot to go grocery shopping." I nodded my head in acknowledgement of her words and when we passed the corner store near our apartment, I dragged her in and insisted on buying her three boxes of hot cocoa mix. Bella grabbed a few other snacks like caramel corn and Twix bars, and only minutes later, we were wandering down our street, chatting easily about anything that came to mind.

When we walked into the apartment, it was only eight thirty and as I picked out a movie from Bella's extensive collection, she started to boil some water for the cocoa. After I had picked out 'The Dark Knight', Bella disappeared into the bedroom for a few moments and came back looking sexy as ever in a pair of flannel pajamas. I was comfortable in my jeans a sweater, but was envious of her clothes, so I pulled my sweater off, leaving me in a grey t-shirt.

"So, what's the choice?" she asked with a grin as she wandered over to the table, with our drinks and snacks on a small tray. I eagerly grabbed the Twix bar and opened it up, handing her a piece before talking again.

"The Dark Knight," I said with a grin as she simply smiled and cozied up to me on the couch. I smiled happily as I remembered some of the times we had spent on the couch in Jackson Hole and even though I wanted to ravish her for the rest of the night, I simply slipped my arm over her shoulder and held her close, relishing in the scent of her hair and the fact that I hadn't screwed this up completely.

We were a little bit into the movie when the Joker made a pencil disappear and I laughed easily, even though I had seen the movie ten times, including twice at IMAX with Emmett. "Edward," asked Bella casually as my hand was slowly moving up and down along her along sweetly.

"Hmm?" I muttered slowly, trying to watch the movie yet also be the attentive boyfriend she wanted me to be.

"Did you mean it when you said you were in love with me?" she asked as she sat up a bit beside me and stared, eagerly awaiting my response. When those words had flown out of my mouth at the restaurant, I was immediately upset with myself. I didn't want to confess my feelings of love for her while we were fighting. How romantic was that? However, sitting here with her now, I couldn't help myself.

"Yes, I meant it. I've never felt the way I do when I'm with you Bella. I've never wanted anyone so much in my life and I've never thought of a future with anyone else. I've been in love with you for weeks Bella," I said, trying to calm myself when all I really wanted to do was make love to her. Bella said nothing for a few moments. Instead, she curled up closer to me and placed her head on my chest while her hand moved gently along my thigh.

"I love you too Edward," she finally said, almost five tortuous minutes later. I wanted to sweep her up into my arms and carry her into the bedroom and make love to her until well into next week, but I didn't. I opted to kiss her forehead lovingly and say the words to her again that had made my heart melt just moments ago when she finally said them. If Bella wanted more, I wanted her to make the first step because I didn't want to overstep our boundaries.

The movie was almost finished when I heard Bella snoring gently in my arms. This time, I picked her up in my arms and brought her into her bedroom, which looked like a bomb had gone off. There were clothes everywhere and even though the sight made me laugh, I almost tripped over a pair of jeans as I moved my way towards her bed. "What's wrong?" she asked sleepily as I pulled the blankets up against her and gently moved a few stray hairs from her face and behind her ear.

"Nothing's wrong baby. You fell asleep and I'm putting you to bed," I said as I rubbed small circles on her back soothingly, but she simply sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Why didn't you try to sleep with me?"

"What?" I asked incredulously as she repeated the same phrase to me. "Umm… I didn't want us to move too fast. We just got back together Bella," I said nervously as she looked up at me, her eyes brimming with disappointment.

"We finally confess our love to one another and you let me fall asleep in your arms. My lord Edward, you really are dense when it comes to women aren't you?" she said with a laugh as my ego took a big hit from her words. Instead of replying to her, I pushed her back onto her bed and pulled her in for a deep kiss as I hovered above her tentatively. The moment my lips touched hers, it was like a firestorm that had been brewing for the past several days went off. My free hand immediately latched on to her breast and was massaging it gently as she moaned against my lips, spurring me on even more.

I leaned back on my ankles and tugged her pajama pants off of her and found she wasn't wearing any panties. Why hadn't I done this earlier? I chastised myself, as I watched Bella slowly unbutton her shirt and toss it on the floor. I jumped from the bed and quickly undressed myself before moving back into position between her legs, my hands gently moving against her inner thighs.

"Is this more of what you had in mind?" I asked as I dipped a finger between her folds and she groaned lowly from my touch. She was dripping wet and clearly just as eager for this as I was.

"Actually, I had something else in mind," she said huskily as she rolled me over onto my back and was now straddling me. She leaned forward, her lips against my neck, and I could feel her heat radiating over my cock, making it twitch in anticipation. I was about to say something else when I suddenly felt Bella bite down on my neck… hard.

"Fuck me," I groaned involuntarily as I then shuddered as her nails scraped across my chest, no doubt leaving marks which would show up in the morning. I was a little overwhelmed by the aggressive manner at which she was taking me, but then I quickly realized this must be what make-up sex was all about. I had never had the benefit of make-up sex before and was desperate to make it count as I hoped not to have any big fights with Bella for a long time. I looked up and saw a condom sitting on her nightstand, so as she continued her assault on my neck and chest, I quickly slipped the condom on and grabbed her hips.

I thought I had managed to catch her off guard, but before I had a chance to force her down onto me, she did it of her own volition, making me loudly scream a few choice curse words from the sheer pleasure of being inside of her again. Bella was in control of the entire situation, moving up and down on me at her desired speed, even though my hands were firmly latched to her hips. I ended up moving my hands down to cup her ass and gave myself over to her entirely, my cock relieved that I had stopped over thinking everything for a moment.

I slipped my hand between our bodies and began to rub her clit as she moaned in approval. Bella's hands were latched firmly against my chest, her fingers felt like they were digging in so hard I was worried she would draw blood, but it was one of the most erotic moments I ever had. When she screamed out my name moment later, I knew she was close to her release, so I rubbed her a little harder as she began to tighten the muscles in her body.

"Fuck Bella," I groaned as she began to practically milk my cock, which was one of the most pleasurable things I had ever felt. She leaned down and kissed me before letting her orgasm take over her body, making her shudder gently against my lips, which in turn made me cum deep inside of her as I screamed out how much I loved her.

A few moments later, we were wrapped around each other when I felt Bella kiss my chest sweetly. "Edward?" she asked quietly as I simply moaned sleepily in acknowledgment of her question. "What time do you need to be at work tomorrow morning?"

"I'm never going into work again," I said with a sigh as I wrapped my arms around her tighter, praying that I didn't have to let her go.

"I have to leave here by seven thirty, but I thought we could have another round before we left for work," she said easily as I opened my eyes and noticed her evil grin.

"Like I said, I'm never going to work again. Hell we can go all night if you want. I know I want to."


	26. Drunken Revelations

**A/N: I'm back in the land of the living. If you've read 'American Girl' you already knew that though. For all of my AG readers, I am working on the new story but wanted to get a few chapters written before I posted. I've also got another story in the works, and I thank lovebuggkiss for checking it out already and expressing interest in yet another coldplaywhore story. I hope to post the first chapters for it in the next few weeks.**

**I hope everyone enjoys the chapter, a lot of stuff goes down! LOL Enjoy and review your little hearts out! **

**I don't own twilight but I do have a neighbor who insists on revving his motorcycle at 12:30 in the morning.**

**BPOV**

The next few weeks things were great between Edward and I again. He was always home from work before six o'clock and some nights we would spend together and some I would work on my book while he caught up on some work from the office, in our separate apartments. The times we spent together cuddling or going out on dates far outweighed the times we spent apart and this made things easier for us. We fell into an easy groove of having dinner at my place and spending the night here or vice versa. Edward was more attentive than ever, both in and out of the bedroom, and I was reveling in having him back in my life again like he was before the move to Seattle.

"Do you want to stay in our go out?" he called to me when I let myself into his apartment one Friday night. We had exchanged keys only a couple of days ago and I found myself using his sooner than I anticipated. He kept insisting that we needed to do it, but I kept putting it off simply because I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, which was the worst possible thing to think about my relationship. Edward had also implied that he was hoping to walk in on me naked one day and ravish me in the living room.

"Can we go out?" I asked casually as I took a sip from his open beer that was sitting on the counter and walked anxiously around his apartment. I still didn't feel completely at home here, but slowly I was finding myself more and more comfortable. I had a toothbrush in the bathroom and a change of underwear in his drawer, but that was everything Bella related in the apartment. Edward had books, CD's, DVD's, and a complete change of clothes at my place because we tended to spend more time there, even though his apartment was much larger than mine.

"Sure, anywhere special?" asked Edward as he finally strolled into the room and gave me a quick kiss as he waited patiently for my answer. "Surprise me," I said with a laugh as he decided on heading back to the Lodge, where we had gotten back together. Edward dressed quickly in some jeans and a black button down shirt, looking as handsome as ever in my opinion. It was fairly warm for a March night, so when we went across the street to my apartment, I tossed on a cute short sleeved, white eyelet shirt with my jeans and a leather jacket. I looked sexy enough; I thought to myself as I pulled my long hair into a ponytail and joined Edward in the living room where he was watching TMZ while waiting for me.

"Do you ever watch this shit? They are practically stalking all these celebrities. People can barely get their luggage at their airport without being asked a question about Octomom or Lindsay Lohan's breakup. I think I lost twenty IQ points in the five minutes I watched this crap, and what the hell is an Octomom?" laughed Edward as he hopped up from the couch after he had finished his rant. "You look gorgeous sweetheart."

"Thanks," I replied easily as he led me from the apartment and we decided to walk the four blocks to the restaurant. Our walk was quiet, with us simply discussing our day as he kept his arm wrapped firmly around my shoulder. When we finally got to the Lodge and walked in the front door, Mel was working the bar and waved eagerly to us.

"If it isn't my favorite couple, besides the two in the back booth," he said with a laugh as we glanced over and saw Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett all converged together and enjoying some drinks.

"Mel, we must rank higher than Rosalie and Emmett who are barely dating and Alice and Jasper who last I checked were still broken up," I said with a grin as he shook hands with Edward and they talked politely for a moment.

"Yeah, but Rosalie and Alice are here more than you Bella," he chuckled as he took an order from someone at the bar.

"You might regret saying that Mel. I'll be over so often Edward will think I'm cheating on him," I giggled as Edward rolled his eyes.

"Nto bloody likely," he scoffed as we left Mel and headed to join our friends in the back.

"So what's the deal? You guys don't like us enough to invite us out?" asked Edward as he pretended to be upset that all of our friends were gathered around and they had left us out. Alice and Rosalie looked a bit shocked to see us there, but I didn't care. I pushed them both down on the bench and sat down on the edge, while Edward waited impatiently for Jasper and Emmett to move.

"We didn't think you two left your apartments these days, not that you need since you live across the damned street from each other," laughed Emmett as he busted Edward and I on our living arrangements, which was something we had decided to tell Alice in the near future. Alice's eyes immediately lit up and she didn't look happy at all. In fact, she looked downright disappointed, which I could understand. I was her best friend after all; I should have talked to her about this even though she had reservations about any of her friends dating her brothers.

"You guys live across from each other?" she inquired, her voice brimming with frustration and I stared ahead at Edward, hoping he could salvage the situation.

"How much as Emmett had to drink?" Edward asked Rosalie as Mel came over and took our drink order. I ordered a double shot of Jameson's and Edward did the same as I felt his hand reach under the table and grab mine tenderly.

"He started as soon as work was over, so he's basically three sheets to the wind right now," she said with a laugh as I frowned and looked back to Edward.

"Yes, we live across the street from each other," said Edward as he turned to Alice, who was still looking frustrated.

"They can see into each other's windows," started Emmett as Edward smacked him upside the head.

"Shut the fuck up Emmett or I'll tell Rosalie you've always been in love with her. Even while you were in L.A.," groaned Edward as Rosalie turned her head quickly towards Emmett who simply shrugged his shoulders and took another gulp of his beer.

"Well isn't this a fun evening," laughed Jasper as he took a bite of the nachos in the center of the table. No one else seemed to be eating them at all, but then again, we were all having our own little mini-crisis with the exception of Jasper who took another chip from the nachos and smiled at us easily. Alice glared at all of us as Emmett opened his big mouth again before anyone could stop him.

"Fine, Rosie I never stopped loving you," started Emmett as he turned to Edward and stuck his tongue out at him like a five year old. "Alice, Edward and Bella have been dating since before Christmas and she helped him pick out both mine and Edward's apartment."

Shit.

I smacked my hand against my forehead and looked up at Edward, who was staring at Emmett and looked like he wanted to pull him outside and kick the shit out of him. "Is it true?" asked Alice as she turned to me and I knew I had to respond. I just nodded my head since I couldn't force any words from my mouth. I was still dumbstruck that Emmett had done this to us, but then again he was plastered so I couldn't expect any better.

"You're still in love with me?" questioned Rosalie as Emmett went to lean across the table as though he wanted to kiss her and she slapped him fiercely.

"I guess I deserved that," laughed Emmett as he leaned back and took another sip of his drink.

"One catastrophe at a time," advised Jasper as he pointed to Edward and I. "Let's start with this disaster first."

"Fine, but I already told you I was dating her for three months and that I was in love with her that night at Chaos, so why are we playing stupid?" asked Edward as I stared at him in confusion. "Oh yeah, you didn't know that yet Bella." I thought things seemed better but Alice looked me genuinely hurt.

"I wish you could have said something Bella," started Alice as I quickly interrupted her.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you, but you had your stupid rule about your brothers dating your friends and Edward tried to discuss it with you at Christmas and you broke the news about Logan to him and one thing led to another and here we are. I love him and we're happy, that's all that matters right?" I said to Alice as she reached forward and grabbed my free hand in hers.

"I should be apologizing to you Bella. I know now that my rule was stupid and the only person I was really protecting was me. If you are happy, then I'm happy for you," said Alice with a sigh as she looked over at Jasper, who was holding her other hand. "Jas and I are officially back on by the way."

I turned beside me and offered Alice a big hug, with Rosalie smashed in between us, still angry about Emmett.

"Okay, now what about this issue," laughed Jasper as he pointed to Rosalie and Emmett.

"I think its best of we discuss this alone, when Emmett knows his ass from his elbow," said Rosalie firmly as she took a drink of her rum and coke. The conversation ceased awkwardly for a few moments until Mel came over with our drinks and the food that everyone had ordered before Edward and I arrived. Edward ordered himself a hamburger and I ordered up some chicken fingers, which Mel insisted he would put a rush on it since everyone else at our table was already eating.

"Edward, you will be around next weekend right?" asked Rosalie curiously as we waited for our dinner to arrive.

"Yeah, is that the weekend Emmett here gets to play father for a few days?"

"I leave on Thursday night, so Emmett has to get Logan to school on Friday morning and pick him up. I'll be back on Sunday night. I know you and Emmett have some guys' night in thing planned, so I hope you can be the adult in that situation," sighed Rosalie as she looked straight ahead at Emmett as she spoke.

"Hey, I resent that remark," Emmett slurred angrily as he tried to take a bite of his hamburger, only to have the onions and tomatoes slide off onto his lap. "Son of a bitch," he cursed loudly as we all laughed at him, glad he had broken the tension slightly.

"I'll be there, no worries Rosalie," said Edward as he looked over at me, sad that we would be apart next weekend.

The rest of the evening was fairly problem free, with the exception of Emmett and his iron liver. He drank so much that Edward had to drive Em home in his car, after he dropped me off at my door and promised to come back. Unfortunately for me, that never happened. Edward called an hour later and let me know he would be staying at Emmett's place overnight since Em had been puking violently since they got in the door.

"Make sure you ask Emmett why the hell he was drinking so much?" I asked Edward as he promised to make up our lost evening the following night. The next night Edward and I chose to stay in and watch a movie as he recounted his Emmett tales from the night before which apparently included finding him in front of the refrigerator at three in the morning sucking back cool whip from the can, which he promptly threw up on the floor

"Oh, I also need to forewarn you, I have two major meetings on Tuesday night at the office late, so I won't be home much before nine or so," he said reluctantly as I cuddled up closer to him.

"That's fine. Thank you for letting me know," I replied as he kissed the top of my head and we tried to focus on the movie to no avail. When Edward finally left the next morning, I sat on the couch with my laptop across my lap and tried to write. Instead, I thought about something nice to I could do for Edward in appreciation of all the extra effort and changes he had made recently. It didn't take me long to come up with something and spent part of the afternoon trying to figure out how to execute it.

**EPOV**

I had been dreading this late night for days. Ever since I had changed my schedule a few weeks ago and got home earlier, I had quickly discovered how much I had enjoyed having free time. Whether it was to spend it with Bella or to tinker on my piano, it was nice and relaxing. I even found that I was able to focus better during the regular work hours and my employees also seemed happier with the change. Bella and I were closer than ever and I reveled in every single moment I spent with her. They made me fall in love with her more.

However, as I sat at my desk, my tie loosened and my attention barely focused on the conference call I was in, I realized I was missing her terribly. When I received a text from her around seven it simply made things worse.

_How much longer is your meeting? I need to see you –B_

I glanced down at the clock and we realized we had at least an hour left of the meeting, so I wrote her back quickly.

_An hour, I hope your needs match mine –E_

Bella and I didn't have sex on Saturday night and we haven't seen each other since and I was starting to consider taking matters into my own hands. If I didn't find it completely repulsive that I had a girlfriend and had to schedule time to get off without her, I probably would have done so on Sunday night when we had talked on the phone for a few minutes and I had instantly gone hard. Even the sound of her voice wishing me 'good night' was like an aphrodisiac for me.

I leaned back in my chair and listened to Arnold, one of our reps in L.A., talk about fourth quarter projections from the potential campaigns we were currently working on and I couldn't grasp a single word he said. Thank god there was a PowerPoint presentation to go along with everything; otherwise I would have been completely lost. I was awoken from my boredom by someone walking down the hallway, but since there were barely any lights left on in the office, I couldn't see who it was until there was a soft knock on my door and Bella appeared in a trench coat holding a bag of takeout.

"Sorry to bother you Mr. Cullen," she said quietly as she walked towards my desk and laid the bag down in a nearby chair before leaning over me and kissing me on the cheek.

"I'm on mute, I'm just listening to them ramble on. The more they talk, the more I think about firing them for wasting my time," I said with a laugh as Bella stepped away from me and shut the door, clicking the lock behind her. "What are you doing here?"

"Do I need a reason to come and visit my boyfriend?" asked Bella as she moved seductively around the desk and came to stand between my legs. We could hear Arnold talking more about the Jones Company campaign and I groaned as I looked down and noticed that Bella's legs were bare. I gulped eagerly as she walked backwards a few steps and opened her coat to reveal her half naked body.

"Holy shit," I said loudly as I stared at her intently, my eyes moving from her feet to the top of her head. She was wearing a dark blue bra and panty set, with nothing else on. Bella let the beige trench coat fall from her body and stepped forward to straddle me in my office chair, her wetness already evident as she rubbed against my straining cock.

"Edward, what do you think?" I heard Arnold ask as I covered Bella's mouth with one hand and turned the phone off of mute.

"I think everything sounds wonderful and that we should call it night. You guys all deserve it," I said as I felt Bella licking my hand and I gasped. I wasn't even sure that was what Arnold had been asking me but I quickly hung up the phone and removed my hand from Bella's mouth.

"You look fucking hot Bella," I said eagerly as I wrapped my arms around her body and pulled her tight against me, her breasts practically against my lips. I reached up and quickly unclasped her bra and pulled it from her, tossing it into the fern in the corner of my office.

"I wanted to show you how much I appreciate you," she said huskily as she slipped from my lap and began unbuttoning my pants. My cock was excited as I remembered how many times I had imagined Bella sucking me off in my office during the past few weeks and having it come to fruition was better than I could imagine.

I watched intently as she pulled my pants and boxers down to my ankles, leaving my cock ready for her. Bella didn't waste any time as she quickly licked my shaft before burying it deep in her mouth, where she began sucking on it greedily for a few moments. I bent my head back against the chair and groaned in pleasure as I watched her red lips moving up and down me, taking me in deep against the back of her throat as I resisted the urge to thrust myself deeper in to her mouth.

"Oh yeah baby," I moaned loudly as her hands began to massage my balls gently and I felt the urge to come deep in her mouth, but I resisted. "Get up Bella," I ordered as she released me from her grip and frowned that she never got to finish the job she had started. "Don't worry I won't fire you for not finishing, now take those panties off."

Bella did as I instructed and quickly pulled her panties off, leaving her in nothing but a pair of high heels and a smile. I grabbed her waist and yanked her to me, helping her onto my lap, where I slid my cock deep inside of her waiting pussy. "Oh yes, Edward," Bella moaned the moment I was buried inside of her hotness.

I had a firm grip on her hips and lifted her up and down on me while she held tightly to the headrest of my chair, kissing me on the lips passionately as she rode me. After a few more minutes of her grinding down on my cock, I stood from the chair and pushed all the papers off of my desk, as I sat Bella down on it and lifted her leg as I wrapped it around my waist. Bella gripped the edge of my desk as I began to fuck her harder, the heel of her shoe digging into my back in a painful yet pleasing way. Her moans and screams increased tenfold as I began to rub her clit while my cock pounded her furiously, desperate for release.

It only took a few more moments before she finally came, shuddering relentlessly against my desk and in my arms. As her body tightened and she screamed my name in ecstasy, I immediately released inside of her and laid my forehead against hers as I tried to calm down. "That was amazing."

"Don't you have video cameras in every office?" she inquired nervously as I glanced up at the corner of the office and smiled.

"Yeah, I do. I'll have to confiscate that tape and take it home for future viewing," I said with a grin as I kissed Bella gently. "By the way, how did you get here? Did you drive?"

"I took a cab," said Bella reluctantly as I pulled out of her and sat down in the chair, pulling her onto my lap in one smooth motion.

"You took a cab dressed in only that?" I asked incredulously as I tried not to sound disappointed. "Did you not think of the things that could happen to you?"

"My only hope was sex on your desk, which we achieved. To ease your mind, I came dressed. My clothes are in a bag outside the door," replied Bella as I calmed down and held her close to me. "So, what was your meeting about?" she asked as she reached forward and pulled two containers of Thai peanut noodles from the paper bag she had brought with her.

"Fuck if I know. I've been thinking about you for the past hour."

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed my office lemon. Next chapter will be the Adventures of Logan, Emmett and Edward, and for all of those who are already curious, we will learn why Emmett drank himself stupid.**


	27. Boys Night In

**A/N: I figured I couldn't leave my 'cabin fever' fans out in the cold when I had updated two chapters of 'American Boy' recently.**

**I know everyone loved the MTV movie awards last night. If you haven't been able to find your own version of the new moon trailer online, feel free to email me at coldplaywhore at gmail (dot) com and I will send you the link I have. I was beyond excited when I saw it and the wolves actually look cooler than I thought. I wished the movie awards had been next month so they could have worked in some of the shirtless shots of Rob from Italy into the trailer. *drooling***

**Anywhoo, as per usual I don't own Twliight, but I am pissed it keeps raining in southwestern Ontario.**

**EPOV**

"Emmett, you're going to be late to get Logan at school," I called out across the office, causing every single employee to turn around and stop what they were doing. I had no idea where he had gotten to, but if he wasn't gone from underground parking in five minutes, he would never be there in time to pick him up. My and Emmett's assistant Meredith had already combed the office looking for him, with no luck.

"Okay, there's a hundred dollar bonus to the first person who can find Emmett," I called across the office as all the employees jumped from their seats and scattered around the office looking for him. It was mere seconds later that Emmett walked out of the men's' room with a confused look on his face.

"I found him," screamed one of our newest hires, a young guy named Embry who worked in design. I felt bad because I was going to have to shell out a hundred dollars and the guy did nothing but turn his chair around. I walked over and handed him the crisp hundred dollar bill from my wallet and grabbed Emmett forcefully by the arm.

"Get going. I'll meet you back at the apartment in an hour. Dad and Jasper will be there a little while later," I said as I pushed Emmett towards the elevator door.

"I didn't shut off…" he started to say but I kept pushing him, not wanting to have Logan standing outside his school waiting for his newly discovered father.

"We'll take care of it all," shouted Meredith as she headed into his office and began to tidy up and shut down his computer. Emmett shrugged his shoulders as he got into the elevator and I breathed a sigh of relief at knowing he was finally on his way. I had promised Rosalie that I would try to keep Emmett on the straight and narrow, but he had done a good job with Logan last night and this morning by himself, so I hoped I wouldn't need to interfere in his parenting tonight.

When I finally left the office forty five minutes later, I sent Bella a quick text to confirm our date the next night and hopped in my car, desperate to get away from the office for the weekend. I hadn't seen Bella since our office romp on Tuesday, but I did manage to confiscate the security tape before we left that night, and it was safely stowed away in a drawer of my dresser. I looked in the back of my Volvo and reluctantly glanced at my overnight bag. As much as I wanted to spend time with Logan, right now I would have much preferred to be picking Bella up for a weekend away somewhere.

"Uncle Eddie," called Logan as I stepped into the apartment once Emmett had opened the door. I was a bit surprised to find toys scattered all over the living room and some cookies on the coffee table.

"Hey Champ," I replied as I patted his curly head. "Cookies, seriously? I asked Emmett as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Rosalie gave me a menu and they were there for his afternoon snack. I'm following the rules Edward," scoffed Emmett as I went to the fridge and looked at the menu. "She even made the meals."

"Well, what Rosalie doesn't know won't kill her right?" I asked as I looked down at Logan who looked a bit confused. "Would you rather have pizza for dinner or… fish sticks?" I asked Logan as he immediately shouted out 'Pizza' and began to run around the room crazily. I reminded myself to discuss Ritalin with Rosalie when she got back from her conference.

"It's your ass if Rosalie finds out," sighed Emmett as he grabbed a beer and took a seat on the couch in front of where Logan had now settled to play Lego. I sat beside him on the floor and we played for almost an hour before my father showed up, with Jasper on his heels.

"Grandpa,' shouted Logan as he ran towards him and gave Carlisle a big hug, catching him by surprise.

"Hey Logan," said my dad as he sat on the couch beside Emmett and looked a bit confused. "So, what does this guy's night in entail?"

"We were going to watch some porn, play some poker and then hire some hookers," laughed Emmett as I chuckled and dialed the phone number for the nearby pizza place. "I think Jasper hired a stripper to jump from a cake. She'll be here right after Logan goes to bed."

"Awww, that's not fair. I want cake," said Logan in frustration as he began to pout and put his hands on his hips, causing all of us to laugh heartily.

"He was kidding buddy," said Jasper as he listened intently to what I ordered for us for dinner.

"No mushrooms, I hate fungus," yelled Logan over the conversation between Emmett and Carlisle. My dad was clearly telling Emmett to watch what he said in front of Logan and I just laughed. With Rosalie as a mom, Logan had probably heard it all before.

"We are really planning to eat some pizza, watch Shrek 2 and play some cards when Logan falls asleep," said Emmett to Logan who looked disappointed with this turn of events.

"Grandpa, what's a hooker?" asked Logan as we all laughed and waited intently for Carlisle response.

"A hooker is someone who catches fish really good," lied Carlisle as Emmett laughed loudly and Logan's eyes brightened.

"We're going fishing?" he shouted happily as he ran over to Carlisle and hugged him again.

"We're not going tonight champ," I said as I finished on the phone with the pizza place and tried to smooth the situation over. Everyone was a little flustered about Logan's questions, which was making this a more interesting evening for me. "I'm sure your Dad and Grandpa will take you fishing in the summer and fall okay?"

"Okay Uncle Eddie," said Logan as he went back to playing his Lego's and completely ignored the rest of our conversation until dinner arrived half an hour later. We ate in silence as Emmett turned on the blu-ray copy of Shrek 2 he had picked up earlier in the week. "I love Puss in Boots," said Logan casually as we watched the cute cat hop onto the screen and cough up a hair ball, which caused Logan to cough as he mocked the cat.

"Me too little guy, me too," sighed Emmett, no doubt thinking about something entirely different, which made us all laugh, including my father and Logan, the latter having no idea what we were laughing about.

When we were done eating, Emmett made Logan help him clean up all the plates and put them in the dishwasher, which surprised me to no end. Logan didn't even complain about it, though he did keep looking back at the TV to make sure we still had his movie paused.

"He's doing surprisingly well," commented Jasper as Carlisle and I looked towards the kitchen where Logan and Emmett were getting along famously. "I would have thought there would be more hesitance on Emmett's part to be a father figure to Logan."

"I didn't think so," I remarked casually as I took a sip of my beer and looked up at Jasper. "Emmett matured a lot in L.A., I think thanks in part to the business, but regardless it happened. He's a great dad."

"He's doing better than I did at his age," added Carlisle as I looked over at him in surprise. He and mom had us when they were relatively young, so when Dad was twenty six like Emmett, he already had two kids running around while finishing his medical residency. "But I guess I had two little hellions running around causing mass destruction and Em only has one."

Emmett and Logan strolled back into the room a few minutes later and curled up on the couch together to watch the rest of the movie, as I alternated being watching the movie and watching my brother and his son. Just as the movie was about to end, there was a surprising knock on the door and Emmett stood to get it, while he Logan sat on the floor and began to play with some of Emmett's old G.I. Joe dolls. I was turned away from the door talking to my father when I heard Logan shout out 'Auntie Bella… Auntie Alice' and run towards the door eagerly.

I whipped my head around quickly and smiled happily as I saw Bella and Alice stroll through the front door, a brown shopping bag in Bella's hands. "Are you checking up on me for Rose?" asked Emmett curiously as he took the bag from Bella and put it on the counter. Bella's hair was up and she was dressed in a gorgeous green dress that took my breath away. Why the hell was I stuck here with all these guys, I wondered to myself.

"Actually no, Emmett," sighed Alice as Jasper walked over and gave her a quick kiss.

"Where's my kiss Logan. Boyfriends and girlfriends usually kiss," laughed Bella as Logan shirked away from her and went to stand by Emmett.

"Kissing is gross," sighed Logan as he hid from Bella and I took the opportunity to sneak in for a kiss.

"Hey," I said sadly as I kissed her lips gently, knowing full well I couldn't take her into the bedroom and ravish her like I wished I could. "Why are you guys here anyways?"

"Well, Alice saw Esme and Carlisle earlier today and she dropped off a big bag of homemade cookies for you boys, but Carlisle forgot it at Alice's, so we're just dropping it off," said Bella casually as she glanced around the room and noticed that other than some toys, it was surprisingly neat. "What are you boys up to?"

"We're going to see strippers and eat cake," said Logan happily, as he sat down on the couch beside Carlisle once he was assured that Bella wasn't going to kiss him.

"What?" shouted Alice angrily as all the men started laughing.

"Sorry," shrugged Emmett with a grin. "My bad. I made a joke and Logan took it seriously. There will be no strippers or cake. Just Grandma Esme's homemade cookies." Emmett sat down beside his dad and son on the couch and I had to admit, it was a cute scene to see three generations of Cullen men together.

"Where are you girls headed?" asked Jasper curiously, as though he was reading my mind. There was no way Bella was simply hanging out with Alice tonight dressed like that. When Bella hung out she usually wore ratty old t-shirts and yoga pants.

"We're meeting some other friends down at Chaos," said Alice casually as my eyes lit up. I didn't really want Bella heading down to that bar, especially with that asshole who worked the bar always hitting on her. "We'll be fine. Safety in numbers and all that crap. I think there's like ten of us going, which reminds me, if we don't leave Bells, we're going to be late." I watched as Bella nodded and then raised one finger at Alice before pulling me down the hallway for a bit of privacy. She led me towards Emmett's room and closed the door, her eyes bright with lust.

"I can already tell you're worried, so don't be. Paul won't be a problem and I'll be thinking about you all night," she said sweetly as she leaned forward and began to suck on my neck furiously, immediately causing a reaction in my groin.

"Umm… I was thinking we should… oh that feels good… I think we should go away for a weekend," I mentioned casually as Bella unlatched her lips from my neck and pulled away from me for a moment, her smile bright.

"Sure, any place in mind?" asked Bella as I felt her wrap her arms around me and gasp, noticing the bulge in my pants.

"I was thinking somewhere along the coast, maybe near Westport or Ocean Park. I haven't looked into it or anything yet, I just thought about it on my way over here tonight," I replied casually as I leaned forward and kissed her lips passionately. It took all of my willpower to pull away when we heard a soft knock on the door.

"Auntie Bella, Auntie Alice is saying she will… come in there and whoop your butt if you don't let go of Uncle Eddie," laughed Logan from the other side of the door as I leaned down and kissed her forehead again.

"What about in two weeks? We'll take off Friday and head down for three days?" I asked as she kissed my lips and nodded her head and turned around to open the door. I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her against my hard on one more time, although it was more painful than pleasurable this time. "Can you sleep at my place tonight?"

"I'll come over when we're done at the club," she said mischievously as I kissed her again and we left Emmett's room, my smile brighter than it had been in days. Bella chased Logan around the living room for a moment saying that she needed a kiss from her boyfriend before she left, but he kept hiding behind Carlisle, which made us laugh. Once Bella and Alice finally left, Emmett got Logan ready for bed and read him a book while we munched on some of Esme's cookies and set up Emmett's poker table in the living room.

"So Em, what was with the massive drinking binge last weekend?" asked Jasper once Emmett had sat down with us at the table and we began to play cards.

**EMPOV**

I knew one of them was going to bring it up, I just hoped it wasn't around my father. I had gotten a little wasted last weekend, okay, I had gotten really trashed and it resulted in my brother sleeping over to make sure I didn't swallow my tongue or whatever drunks do.

"It was nothing, I ran into someone from my past and it was awkward and let's not discuss it okay?" I said casually, hoping they would get the hint. Not surprisingly though, it just made things worse.

"Who?" asked my father as he took a sip of his red wine and glanced up at me through his glasses.

"Charlotte Hamilton," I said reluctantly as I looked down at the deck of cards in my hand and began to hand them out to everyone.

"No shit. Didn't you date her after Rosalie dumped you?" asked Edward incredulously as I simply nodded my head.

"I wouldn't exactly call what we did 'dating' per say. I was only in town for two weeks after Rosalie dumped me and headed off to Cornell."

Everyone at the table was suddenly more focused on me and my story than the game of poker we were supposed to be playing. Unfortunately, I knew that no one would give a shit about the game until I told them what was up, so I relayed my story as best as I could recall. "I ran into Charlotte when I was leaving the restaurant where I had dinner with Rosie two weeks ago. We exchanged phone numbers and then she called on the Thursday night to see if I wanted to get together for drinks," I began to say as Jasper interrupted me.

"How did the date with Rose go anyways? I meant to ask you on Friday, but you were smashed by the time I got to the Lodge," he asked curiously as my father looked up at me with disappointment in his eyes.

"It was great. The conversation was great, the food was good and we seemed to move past everything," I said easily. I didn't want to tell them that I tried to go in for a kiss but was rebuffed, that was already embarrassing. In fact, I think that embarrassment led me to do what happened with Charlotte.

"Can I finish the story?" I asked as everyone nodded, with the exception of my father, who clearly knew this was not going in a good direction. "Charlotte and I met up for drinks and we talked, nothing going on, until she confessed to me that the only reason she slept with me all those years ago was because she wanted to take me away from Rosalie."

"No Shit," said Edward again as I groaned in displeasure at being interrupted again. "Sorry."

"Anyways, apparently she and Rosalie had some rivalry going on back in high school and Charlotte was pissed that I was with Rose again. So Charlotte sort of pushed herself on me again and I stupidly let it happen. We didn't sleep together or anything, just a lot of second base action, but when I saw Rose on Friday I felt like shit for doing it. So I drank myself stupid in an effort to forget. The morning after kissing Charlotte, I honestly felt like I had cheated on Rosalie, which is exactly how I felt when I slept with Charlotte six years ago," I finished reluctantly.

"Why did you kiss Charlotte to begin with?" asked Carlisle angrily.

"I don't know. Rose and I had a great dinner, but I don't know if I am ready to be a family with her and Logan. I don't know what the hell I want, but I know it's not Charlotte." Edward, Jasper and Carlisle were all looking at me with disappointment in their eyes, and I felt the same way they did. I felt like shit for dating Rosalie and wanting her, but hooking up with someone else.

"Does Rosalie know?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah, I told her on Thursday night when she dropped off Logan. I didn't want her to run into Charlotte somewhere and have her rub it in Rosie's face, ya know?" I questioned and Edward nodded his head in agreement. "Isn't there going to be some sort of advice coming my way?"

"I have advice," sighed Jasper as he took a sip from the glass of brandy in front of him. "Stop thinking with your dick. If you love Rosalie like you claim you do, then man up and be with her. What did Rosalie say when you told her?"

"She said it didn't matter. That we had dinner and nothing else, we weren't in a committed relationship," I added reluctantly as Carlisle frowned at me.

"You're screwed. I agree with Jasper on the 'penis' comment. You should do some grand gesture to prove to Rosalie how you feel," said my father as he looked at my sympathetically. "Things weren't always perfect with your mother and me during the early days, but a night out for dinner and dancing while you boys were with your grandparents or the babysitter did wonders for us."

"Thanks Dad," I said genuinely as I patted his back and looked down at the cards I had dealt. "Are we going to play or what?" The rest of the night went by quickly as all the guys offered up more romantic advice to me and Edward let us know about how he was taking Bella away for the weekend in two weeks. Jasper piped in with various locations for him to take her to now that spring was finally upon us and the sun was out more than the clouds.

Before I realized it, it was almost one in the morning and we could all hear Logan snoring from his bedroom. "He takes after you way too much," laughed Edward as he grabbed a handful of peanut butter cookies and shoved them into a Ziploc bag. "They're for Bella."

"Yeah whatever," I shrugged as I held the door open for all three of them to finally leave us in peace. I spent the next hour cleaning up the mess we had made and putting away the poker table. It was just after two in the morning when I finally laid down in bed, my eyes focused on a dot on my ceiling and I began to think of a way to prove to Rosalie how I felt and that I wasn't the same boy I was in high school, which is exactly what my episode with Charlotte had shown her. She thought I hadn't grown up at all and she knew this. Just as I was about to fall asleep, I felt my bed shift lightly and noticed Logan crawl up beside me, his head laid to rest against my chest.

"Can't sleep buddy?" I asked curiously as I stroked his back soothingly.

"I heard you talk about momma," he said with concern as I looked down at him with a frown. "Don't worry Daddy; I'll help you win her back."


	28. The Bitch is Back

**A/N: First of all, I would like to say thanks to everyone who thinks that Logan is the cutest character ever. I like to think that myself. I'm channeling a tiny Emmett when I write his character. He plays prominently in this chapter and I hope everyone enjoys it. There will be a Logan break soon though as I play a bit more Bella and Edward, which is foreshadowed in this chapter as well.**

**I have one more major drama point, after this one, for our major couple, so be prepared. I'm not offering hints either. Anywhoo, enjoy the chapter. Thanks again to MaggieMay14, my hetero fanfic lifemate (LOL)**

**Music recommendations: anything by 'The Cary Brothers'. I listened to them quite a bit while working on this chapter.**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do have a very monotonous job and writing helps keep me sane.**

**EPOV**

When I finally got back to my apartment, just after one in the morning, Bella was already fast asleep on my bed. She looked lovely as ever with her dark brown hair splayed all over my pillows and dressed in a pair of my boxers and an old Budweiser t-shirt. I couldn't bear to move her, so I simply undressed and pulled the covers over top of her body as I slipped into bed beside her.

"Edward?" I heard her mumble quietly and I wasn't sure if she was awake or not. I responded with a simple 'hmm' and to see if she was actually awake or talking in her sleep. "What time is it?"

"Its one twenty, so go back to sleep," I said quietly as she nuzzled closer to me and I greedily took in her scent, which was mixed with alcohol and club smoke sadly.

"Did you have fun tonight?" she asked as I felt her head rest against my bare chest and my hand immediately went to her hair and began stroking it gently.

"Everything was great sweetheart, now go back to sleep," I told her as I felt her hand slip down my body to my cock. She was going to be the death of me and sadly, we were both too tired to stay awake for anything sexual right now. I grabbed her hand and pulled it away; intertwining her fingers in mine and resting them up near our chests. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said lowly as I heard her begin to drift off to sleep.

The sunlight poured in from my open curtains way too early in the morning and I felt Bella stir beside me. "Morning," she called out sleepily as I stood up to close the curtains and jumped back into bed beside her.

"It's too early for all that shit, let's go back to bed," I said as I pulled her close to me and hugged her tightly in my arms.

"I'm not sleepy now," she said I glanced over at the clock and noticed it was already ten past seven in the morning. I guess six hours of sleep will have to do for today. "I want you to tell me about the trip you're taking me on."

"What do you want to know babe? I haven't really planned anything," I admitted reluctantly as she grinned against my chest.

"I don't care. Where do you want to go? What do you want to do?" she asked as I began to tell her about a few of the hotels and bed and breakfasts that Jasper recommended out on the coast.

"Do you have a passport? If so, we can always head up to Victoria and stay at the Fairmont Empress. I heard that's a beautiful hotel," I casually mentioned and she seemed to perk up and began to nod her head eagerly. "We could get a nice suite and spend the entire weekend in bed, ordering room service and getting massages in our room."

"Perfect. Can we leave now?" asked Bella excitedly as I smiled down at her and kissed her forehead sweetly. "We can't go next weekend because it's Logan's birthday, so what about the week after that?" I nodded back to Bella and reminded myself to book a room as soon as possible. We snuggled in bed for the next hour discussing the things we would do in Victoria. I had been there before for work before, so it would be a nice change of pace to be a tourist in the city.

When we finally rolled out of bed, it was almost nine o'clock and Bella wanted to drag me toy shopping for Logan's birthday next weekend. Rosalie and Emmett had made the arrangements together and it was being held at Emmett's place next Saturday because there would be a lot more people coming thanks to the additional five Cullen family members. Bella and I had promised Emmett to come over early the next Saturday to help decorate in a Spiderman theme, so while we were out shopping we also picked up enough decorations to cover the fricking Space Needle.

I ended up buying Logan a massive collection of water guns for him to use in the summer at Esme and Carlisle's, where they had a huge in ground pool. I was certain Logan would coerce Emmett into taking him there every chance he had, and neither Esme nor Carlisle would complain about it one bit. They had already talked at length about taking him down to Jackson Hole for a few days in the summer. Bella wasn't overly keen on my gift choices, but she ending up buying him a bunch of clothes, so I knew Logan would love my gift more than hers.

"You know, considering you're his _girlfriend_, you don't know him that well," I said with a laugh when we finally got back to my apartment. Bella was already pulling out the wrapping paper and ripping the price tags off of her gifts as she scowled at me.

"I'm doing what Rosalie asked. Apparently Logan is growing like crazy and she's running out of clothes. We can't all spoil him," sighed Bella as she wrapped the gift like a pro and then left everything out for me to wrap the oddly shaped water guns.

"Feel free to clean that stuff up, I'm just gonna buy a gigantic gift bag," I laughed as I watched her frown at me and groan loudly. We ended up getting changed at her apartment and then heading out to dinner a little while later, which resulted in us falling asleep in her bed before we could even have sex.

The next week flew by like crazy and I saw Bella every other night and we would usually have dinner at my place or hers, but we never once had a sleepover since Friday night, which was a bit depressing. However, I couldn't help but feel like life was going a little too perfect for me right now. I had an awesome girlfriend who I could already picture being with for the rest of my life, we were going away next weekend for three days and work was going really well. I was excited when I showed up at Emmett's place with Bella on Saturday for Logan's party. Esme and Carlisle had arrived early and Esme was making peanut butter cookies in the kitchen with Logan, which smelt heavenly.

"Look Uncle Eddie," yelled Logan as he stood on a small stepstool, so that he could reach the counter, and was cutting out cookie shapes with Esme.

"What's he doing here already?" I asked Emmett as Bella stepped into the living room with the bag of decorations and set to work to cover virtually every surface with everything Spiderman related she could find. She laid the small paper plates and cutlery on the counter and shared a pleasant exchange with my mom as she went back towards the main room.

"Rosalie has a friend in town from Los Angeles that she used to go to Cornell with, so she asked me to take Logan last night so that they could go out. Apparently her friend will be over for the party later, and she's the one who has the baby videos of Logan for us," sighed Emmett as he watched Bella start decorating. I shrugged my shoulders and went to help her out, since she was clearly height challenged at a mere five foot four.

"Auntie Bella…" called Logan from the kitchen as Esme pulled the first tray of cookies from the oven and set them down on the counter in front of them.

"Yes boyfriend," she answered as Logan lit up like a Christmas tree and Bella handed me a package of balloons to blow up. I threw a couple of them at my father, who was lounging on the couch watching CNN as though he wasn't at a birthday party for a six year old.

"Auntie Bella, I need your help to get Momma and Daddy back together," said Logan as we all turned around and looked at him curiously. Emmett stumbled out of the room to get his keys and then asked us to watch Logan as he ran out to pick up the cake. I nodded at Emmett as he left the apartment, clearly flustered at his son.

"Why do you think you need to do that Logan?" asked Bella as Esme tried not to pay too much attention to their conversation.

"Cause I know Daddy and Momma miss each other, they just don't say nuthin," said Logan with a smile as he blew on one of the warm cookies before putting it into his mouth greedily. Esme looked down at him with a broad smile and ran her fingers through his thick mass of curly hair.

"Logan, I think you should let your Momma and Daddy figure everything out on their own," I added as everyone looked at Logan sympathetically. It was clear that all he really wanted was for his parents to be happy and together, so I felt really bad for the little tyke.

"Uncle Eddie, if we don't do something they will be sad. I would give up all my birthday gifts for them to be happy," said Logan sadly as he tugged on the heart strings of everyone in the room.

"Listen buddy, why don't you let us think about it and we will try to find a way to help you, without you giving up your gifts," said Carlisle eagerly, which surprised the hell out of all of us. "What? I do have a romantic soul you know." Esme nodded her head and we all laughed as Logan joined us, completely unsure about what he was laughing about.

Emmett was back in the apartment a mere twenty minutes later armed with one of the largest cakes I had ever seen. It was a huge Spiderman mask and looked like it contained enough sugar to choke a horse, but Logan was more excited than I had ever seen him. Emmett tried, in vain, to shove it in the fridge as Esme assisted him and Bella called me over to the living room to check out her decorating job. "Looks wonderful Bella," I said genuinely as I kissed her temple and she grabbed my hand and pulled me into Emmett's bedroom. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. I missed you," she said forcefully as she leaned up and kissed me passionately, her tongue practically down my throat the moment my lips opened up. "Does everything feel a little too perfect to you?"

I was about to respond when I heard a loud commotion outside in the foyer and Emmett knocking on the bedroom door. "We'll be out in a minute," I called back as Emmett continued to knock. I whipped open the door and Emmett slid into his room, locking the door behind him.

"You have got to leave man. Climb out the window, down the fire escape, whatever you need to do, do it," said Emmett, clearly flustered by something.

"What the fuck?" asked Bella, as though she was reading my mind.

"Rosalie's friend is here. It's Lauren… crazy stalker bitch Lauren," stammered Emmett as I looked down at Bella. I knew I must have looked like a deer caught in the headlights, but she looked calm.

"So what? You haven't even lived in L.A. for like three months. I'll handle this," said Bella as she unlocked the door and grabbed my hand to follow her. This was not going to be pleasant.

**BPOV**

When Emmett started to knock on his bedroom door, I wanted nothing more than to throw Edward on Em's bed and screw his brains out, just to prove that I hated to be interrupted, but we didn't. I was shocked to discover that Edward's ex girlfriend or whatever you want to call her, was the exact same Lauren that Rosalie had talked about for the past year. She had seemed so nice when Rosalie talked about her and I was a little beside myself in fury, when I finally grabbed Edward and pulled him into the living room.

"Oh my god, Edward," shouted Lauren as she started to run forward and hug him, but I stood in her way.

"I'm Bella Swan, Edward's girlfriend… and you are?"

"I'm Lauren. I'm Edward's um… girlfriend?" she asked curiously as I eyed her up and down, wondering what the hell Edward ever saw in her. Clingy one night stand, that's what I had to keep reminding myself.

"Not since mid December hon, that title has been all _mine_," I said seriously as Edward stayed behind me, as though I was his protector. I knew when he got back into L.A. after Christmas, he never went to her and broke it off, but I was shocked to hear she was so delusional that she thought they were still together.

"Let's all come into the living room and enjoy Logan's party," said Esme as she pulled me and Edward towards her and Lauren stared at me as though she was plotting my death. We all moved into the living room and when Edward took a seat beside Carlisle on the loveseat, I immediately sat on his lap, clearly staking my claim. "So Lauren, how is it you know my boys?"

"Oh, I met them at a club in L.A. last summer. Edward and I were dating _exclusively_ for a few months actually, until he disappeared off the face of the earth," she said sweetly as she spoke to Esme but looked directly at Edward. Bitch.

"Um, if I recall correctly didn't Edward try and break up with you like five fucking times?" said Emmett in frustration as Logan covered his mouth in shock after hearing his dad swear. Rosalie grabbed Emmett by the collar and dragged him down the hallway to chastise him and as expected, Lauren didn't answer the question and instead turned to Carlisle to engage him in conversation.

"Edward told me you are a surgeon. Plastic surgeon by any chance?" she asked as I giggled profusely and I felt bad for Edward to be forced to sit through this. I couldn't believe he dated this vapid excuse for a girl back in L.A.

"Um no Lauren, I'm not a plastic surgeon. I'm a cardiologist," Carlisle said coolly, clearly put off by having to hold a conversation with this moron.

"I took cardio classes down at the 24 Hour Fitness near my condo, didn't I Edward?" asked Lauren seriously as we all began to laugh at her sheer stupidity, even Esme was blindsided by her response.

"Lauren hon, cardiologist work on people's hearts, not exercise programs," Rosalie corrected her as she strolled back into the room with a nervous looking Emmett. Rosalie then insisted that we wait for Alice, Jasper and her parents to arrive before we opened Logan's presents. "Logan, why don't you head into your room and play for a few minutes."

Logan nodded his head and stood from the floor where he had been playing with some army figures and headed into his room. "Let's go with him," I whispered to Edward as he stood from the couch, lifting me from his lap and placing me softly on the ground. I grabbed his hand and led him into the other room behind Logan, who was excited we were going to play with him.

"So Uncle Eddie, any ideas on how to get Momma and Daddy together?" asked Logan once we were completely ensconced in building a big house out of Lego.

"Not yet Champ, but give me and Auntie Bella here a bit of time. We'll figure something out," Edward said genuinely as I smiled at him and he kissed my temple. We were in the room with Logan for only about five minutes before Lauren peeked her head in.

"Rosalie said to tell you that Alice and Jasper are here," she said sweetly as I stared daggers at her. I was furious because she had Edward first, but also because she couldn't take a fucking hint. She still acted as though they were together. "Can we talk for a moment?" she said to Edward and I stood up quickly, taking a protective stance again.

"Not bloody likely," I spit at her as she put her hands on her hips. "Don't look at me like that bitch. I doubt you want to ruin your manicure, and lord knows I don't give a shit about mine."

"It's okay Bella. We can chat for a moment. Logan, can you head back into the living room with Auntie Bella. I'm sure Alice and Jasper want to wish you a Happy Birthday," said Edward reluctantly as I took Logan's hand in mine and led him towards the living room, where everyone was nervously waiting for us. Once Logan had rushed to Alice, I really wanted to head back to the bedroom and listen in on what was being said, but I couldn't bring myself to intrude like that. I also didn't want to get caught invading Edward's privacy, so I engaged Carlisle in a conversation about the Mariner's, which seemed to appease both of us.

When they finally walked out of the bedroom a few minutes later, it was clear that Lauren had been crying and Rosalie consoled her for a moment before her parents showed up to join the awkward festivities. Edward didn't come back to my side immediately, like I expected. Instead, he went into the kitchen and helped his mother put the finishing touches on the cake.

"Okay, so everyone is here now. Logan do you want to open your presents?" asked Rosalie sweetly as she handed me a notepad to record all the gifts he received and who they were from. Logan jumped from his seat enthusiastically and went to sit beside Emmett, who was right beside the big pile of gifts. He eagerly went through the pile, ripping open the wrapping paper with enthusiasm I don't think I had ever seen before.

"Emmett was the same way when he was younger," commented Esme as we watched Logan open a Leapfrog learning center that Rosalie's parents had got him. He thanked them politely and quickly went onto the next gift. His favorites were the water gun collection that Edward had given him and the playground which Esme and Carlisle had got him, although it was located at their house for future use, or until Rose or Emmett got a backyard. He frowned a bit at the clothes Alice and I had gotten him, but I never thought they would go over good when Rosalie strong armed us into getting them.

Once all the gifts were open, Edward and Logan curled up together in the corner and began to play with some of the games, as I kept my eyes trained on Lauren. She was staring at Edward, as though whatever he had said to her in the bedroom went into one ear and out the other. "Can we have a quick chat?" I asked Lauren as I grabbed her wrist and led her down the hallway to Emmett's bedroom.

"I don't think we have anything to chat about," said Lauren once I had gotten her alone in the room.

"I know you are friends with Rosalie, but you are making this entire thing awkward for Edward," I said, trying to be as forceful as possible, yet not wanting her to go running from the room claiming I was beating her, not that anyone in that room would believe her.

"You have no idea what Edward is going through. You think you know him, but you don't," muttered Lauren as a scowl crossed my face. Who the hell was she to claim I didn't know my own boyfriend. Skank.

"You're kidding me right? You're the last person who knows Edward. I could find someone down on the street below you knows Edward better than you," I spit angrily as she walked towards me, pure fury on her face.

"He's mine. I had him first and I will have him last."

"Yeah, nice try honey. You need to stop telling yourself that. I really wonder how Rosalie and you were friends for so long considering how deluded you are," I said with a confident smile as Lauren looked even more pissed off at me. "How the hell did you even get into Cornell?"

"I was a legacy, bitch," she said to me as I started to laugh. No wonder, her parents probably paid her way in and she had nothing to show for it, except a piece of paper that meant nothing.

"When you have a one night stand with someone, it's over after one night. You should be counting you're lucky stars that Edward was too nice to simply cut you loose, which is what should have happened."

"Fuck you," she spat angrily.

"Not with someone else's dick sweetheart," I retorted as I walked towards her, my hands on my hips. I hadn't planned to fight for Edward, I never once though I would have competition, if that is what you want to call Lauren, but the more she instigated the fight, the stronger my need became to have Edward with me forever."You guys haven't been together for a long time. Fuck, he moved hundreds of miles away to get away from you," I said with a heavy sigh as Lauren looked at me with a look that I could only describe as remorseful, even though it was probably something else. "I'm sure that deep down you are a wonderful girl and some guy will be lucky to have you or whatever, but that guy isn't Edward."

"How do you know that?" snapped Lauren angrily as I felt the need to beat the shit out of her for the second time today.

"I know that because he is in love with me. He's stuck with me forever, if he'll have me," I said confidently as I turned around, feeling someone else joining the room and saw Edward standing at the door a little awestruck.

"Of course I'll have you forever Bella," he said genuinely as he strolled forward and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the ground as he kissed me firmly. I didn't even notice Lauren leave the room because I was so wrapped up in Edward and I. She could have jumped off the roof of the building for all I cared, because at this point in time, nothing existed except for me and the man I was in love with.

**A/N: I promise the next chapter will be their vacation in Victoria. Logan is taking a wee break for a few chappies!**


	29. The Way Things Are

**A/N: So this is probably my last chapter of Cabin Fever before I go away for a few days. I will be writing while I am away, but not posting. I will probably post at least one chapter on Sunday Night or Monday morning, once my beta has reviewed.**

**I will love whoever writes the very next review, because that will put me at 900. Woo Hoo!**

**I'm glad everyone hated Lauren as much as I did, although she was fun to write. If it makes you all feel better, she won't be showing up again, although there may be future references from Rosalie.**

**Bacmel79- The library can't be that bad, although I can understand your frustration. I hope you are back in the real world soon!**

**OH- FIC REC TIME. I highly recommend 'His Personal Assistant' by Northernlights17. Awesome Fic that is currently a WIP. I love it so far; I spent most of today reading it, which is why I slacked on my work and my own stories! Sorry!**

**I don't own twilight, but I do own a lot of books about art.**

**EPOV**

When Bella stormed off with Lauren into the other room, I was immediately scared, not for Bella but for Lauren. Every since she had arrived, Bella had become a wee bit possessive, and by a wee bit I meant she was absolutely hell bent to prove to everyone in the apartment that I was hers. "Is she usually off her rocker?" asked my father with a laugh as we watched both girls disappear down the hallway.

"Are you talking about Bella or Lauren?" I asked him with a curious grin.

"I meant Bella. We can already see Lauren needs to be medicated. I should recommend some good doctors for her out in L.A.," replied my father with an evil grin, which made me laugh. I could tell he was wondering why the hell I had dated her in the first place, but I couldn't bring myself to tell him that I couldn't shake her off of me, no matter how hard I had tried.

"No, she's not like this," I added as I shook my head from side to side and immediately stood up, following them, but not letting them know I was listening by the door. I knew I shouldn't be eavesdropping, but part of me was worried this would become some knock down drag out fight with hair pulling and clothes being torn. Not that that thought wasn't appealing; I just didn't want it to happen during Logan's sixth birthday party. I could practically see the headline on the 'Seattle Times' in the morning; Two women seriously injured during 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey'.

Emmett and Rosalie saw me perched outside the door, ready to pounce if things got ugly, but I brushed them off and they continued into the kitchen to get the cake ready."I'm sure that deep down you are a wonderful girl and some guy will be lucky to have you or whatever, but that guy isn't Edward," I heard Bella say calmly, even though I knew if I was in her shoes I would be livid as hell.

"How do you know that?" retorted Lauren as my face grew hot in frustration. I was seriously considering having their girl committed to an asylum. How could she think she had a future with me?

"I know that because he is in love with me. He's stuck with me forever, if he'll have me," said Bella fiercely as I decided to make my presence known and strolled into the room to find both women shocked to see me.

"Of course I'll have you forever Bella," I said sweetly as I walked to her and wrapped my arms around her as tight as I could, lifting her small body off of the ground, desperate to never let her go. "I love you so much," I added after I finally realized that Lauren had left the room. After a few more intense kisses with Bella, we walked out into the living room, hand in hand and found Lauren deep in conversation with Rosalie. Bella went to sit with my mother as I stepped over to Rosalie and Lauren.

"I know you guys are friends or whatever, but I don't want to make this day more awkward than it already is," I said genuinely as Rosalie looked at me sympathetically. She was clearly having issues with Lauren's attitude; combine that with all the stress of Logan's party and Rosalie looked like she might break at any minute.

"Then why don't you and your little girlfriend leave?" snapped Lauren as both mine and Rosalie's faces turned red in fury, although I was more scared of Rosalie's reaction than my own.

"I'm his uncle. If anyone is leaving it's you," I replied forcefully, pleased that I was finally standing up to her more than I had in the past. "Bella is his aunt and has been in his life more than either of us, so she's not leaving either."

"She's not _really _his aunt and I was there when he was born. Where were you Edward?" shouted Lauren as Rosalie grabbed Lauren's arm and pulled her back into Emmett's bedroom, while everyone watched them intently. How I wished I could be a fly on that wall right now and I really hoped that Rosalie was tearing Lauren a new one. I went to the living room and sat down on the floor, in front of Bella's feet and started to play with Logan, who kept expressing his excitement at using his water gun collection when we visited Esme and Carlisle in the summer.

When the girls came out of the bedroom a few minutes later, they both seemed reasonably calm and Lauren even helped Rosalie finish putting the candles on the cake, which Rose then brought over to the living room table, completely lit so that we could sing to Logan.

Thankfully, the rest of the afternoon went by peacefully and Lauren was quiet and reserved, so much so that she was making a lot of other people uncomfortable such as Bella, Emmett and me. Once everyone had finished devouring their cake, I leaned over to Logan to let him know that Bella and I were leaving.

"That's okay Uncle Eddie. Thanks for the presents and don't forget about what we were talking about," he said with a wink that looked more like a nervous twitch and I kissed his forehead and nodded in acknowledgment.

"We're working on it Champ," I said as I stood from the floor and grabbed Bella's hand, bringing her to her feet from the couch she was sitting on with my mother and Rosalie's mom. "We're heading out because we have some things to attend to," I said forcefully as Emmett and Jasper both smiled at me and Bella simply looked confused. As I went to grab our coats, I came back and found Bella in the kitchen with Rosalie in a heated discussion. The moment she saw me she simply smiled at Rose and hugged her, before slipping into her coat and leading me out into the hallway.

"Why did we have to leave?" asked Bella as we stepped into the elevator and I immediately pushed my body up against hers until we were flush against the wall, my lips against her neck and my hands gripped firmly on her ass.

"You wanted to stay with Princess She-Bitch up there?" I asked curiously as she broke into laughter over the nickname I had given Lauren. Technically, Emmett had made it up several months ago, but she didn't need to know that right now.

"Well, no," she started to say as I silenced her again with another kiss. When we finally broke apart, the doors to the elevator opened and I led her to the Volvo, unsure of where we were going, but desperate to get away from Lauren and the birthday party from hell. I drove us back to my place and when we got upstairs, we quickly removed our coats and settled comfortably on the couch, where Bella was all too willing to continue what we had started in the elevator.

I pulled my lips away from hers for a brief moment, quickly remembering her exchange with Rosalie in the kitchen. "What did you and Rosalie talk about in the kitchen?" I asked as I pulled her down onto the couch, beneath my hovering body.

"She told me she set Lauren straight and that if Lauren wanted to stay friends with Rose, then Lauren had to snap out of it. Apparently a fight almost broke out, which would have been priceless, although I honestly would have been upset not to get a few slaps in myself," laughed Bella as I kissed her forehead sweetly. "Rose said she was surprised by how much Lauren had changed since they graduated Cornell."

"L.A. will do that to people. Why do you think I wanted to get the hell out of there?" I asked with a grin as I leaned down and started to lick her neck. Things were about to get hot and heavy, and I was tempted to just throw her over my shoulder and take her to the bedroom, but her cell phone started to ring and when I grabbed it, I noticed it was my mother.

"Hi Esme," said Bella calmly as she smiled brightly and they began discussing something about Bella's job. "Yeah, she's the one. I can't believe you know her," said Bella enthusiastically as she pulled herself up to a seated position and my face immediately fell, as well as my hard on.

It was almost ten minutes and a strong shot of Jameson's later, when Bella finally got off the phone. "Did you know your mom knows my boss Angela?" she asked curiously as I shook my head. "Apparently they had lunch the other day and when your mom mentioned you and me, Angela told her a bit about my book and how promising it is." Bella's eyes grew with excitement as she jumped off the couch and gave me a quick kiss and a hug. "Angela told me she liked it, but that was it."

"Of course she likes it Bella, you're a fantastic writer," I said forcefully although I had never read a single thing she had ever written. "My mom hooked me up with an Angela for work. They were looking for a new advertising company for some upcoming campaigns and they are coming to our office on Tuesday for a presentation that Emmett is running," I explained as I suddenly had a thought. "What is the name of your company Bella?"

"I work for Hancock Publishing, why do you ask?" she said curiously, clearly not noticing the coincidence I was mentioning.

"That's the company Emmett is working with," I said with a smile. "I guess my mom has friends in high places."

"Ooh, I should try to come to the meeting. That would drive Emmett nuts," said Bella as she finally tossed her phone on the coffee table and curled up next to me, my hands immediately deep in her thick brown hair.

"He has enough trouble presenting on his own, so let's not make it worse for him," I said with a sigh as I kissed her forehead and we turned on a movie as we continued to talk about work.

By the time Thursday rolled around, I was beyond excited to see Bella. I was picking her up from work around three and we were driving up to Victoria, with a ferry trip into Victoria, across the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Bella had spent Wednesday night trying to pack and kept calling to make sure she had certain items. As far as I was concerned, all she needed was her passport because I didn't really plan for us to be out of the room for three days.

When I wandered into her building, I was surprised to see Emmett talking to the guy at the security desk. "What are you doing here man?" I asked curiously as Emmett glanced back at me, also shocked to see me.

"I could say the same thing to you. I'm meeting Angela at Hancock about the presentation from Tuesday. I'm assuming its good news because otherwise she just would have called and said 'Dude you suck ass," laughed Emmett as I patted him on the back.

"I'm picking up Bella. We're getting a head start on our weekend away and she works at Hancock. Small world huh?" I said with a grin as he followed me down the hallway to the elevators and up to the fifth floor where Bella's office was located.

We must have looked like quite the pair as we wandered up to the reception desk, Emmett in a crisp new grey suit and me in a laid back pair of dark wash blue jeans and an oversized button down check shirt, covered in a dark hooded jacket "Emmett Cullen here to see Angela Weber," he said politely as the receptionist turned to me and glared a bit at my clothes. What the fuck people, couldn't I be comfortable as I travel?

"Oh, I'm here for Isabella Swan. Edward Cullen," she glanced between us and picked up the phone to page Angela first. "Yes, we're brothers," I said with a grin as she smiled back at me sweetly and informed Angela that Emmett was here. She then called Bella and we waited patiently for anyone to arrive for us. Angela was the first to arrive though and Emmett took the opportunity to introduce me, even though I look like shit.

"Angela Weber, this mess here is my brother Edward, CEO and Co-Founder of the firm," said Emmett genuinely as I held out my hand for her. "He's actually here for his girlfriend though, not our meeting," he added as Bella strolled up beside Angela and started to laugh.

"It's delightful to finally meet you Edward. Since you are here, why don't you stay for the meeting we are about to have. Bella, I know you are supposed to leave at three, but do you mind staying for a bit?" asked Angela as my heart sunk to the floor. All I wanted to do was get my girl into the car and head off to Victoria. Please say no Bella.

**BPOV**

"Sure Angela, we can stay for a little bit. What's the meeting about?" I asked anxiously as she led Emmett, Edward and I to the board room where some of the other high ranking staff had gathered.

"Well, since we are all here, how about we begin right away," suggested Angela as she stood at the front of the room and we sat at the remaining seats. Edward sat beside Emmett rather than me, so that he didn't drawn attention to us. I felt completely out of place with all the major players of the company and I had no idea why Angela would consider bringing me into the meeting in the first place. "First of all, some of you already know Emmett Cullen from Cullen Advertising from the meeting on Tuesday."

Emmett raises his hand acknowledging himself as Angela nodded her head and quickly continued. "The rather comfortable looking gentleman beside him would be his brother and co-founder of Cullen Advertising, Edward Cullen."

"Pleasure to meet you all," said Edward politely as everyone else in the room was silent, probably from checking out his clothes and wondering how the hell he became the founder of an advertising firm.

"We have officially hired Cullen Advertising to run our next major campaign, the release of the next big author, Isabella Swan." I looked at Edward first, because I was excited about his big news. This was a major coup for Cullen Advertising and they all knew it. I hadn't even grasped that Angela had said I was going to be a published author until Edward jumped from his chair and threw his arms around me excitedly.

"What did you say?" I asked in shock as Angela looked at me with a wide smile, Edward's arms firmly around my chest.

"Well, we're basically firing you as an editor Bella, and signing you to a contract as an author, if you want it?" laughed Angela, knowing full well that this was all I wanted since I was six years old. I jumped up from my chair and began to hug her eagerly as I heard the room erupt into laughter.

"You deserve it Bella. Angela gave me the completed draft and it's an excellent first effort. I'm certain future works will be just as wonderful," said Robert Hancock, president of the company. I didn't even know that he had any idea who I was, but to hear him speak so highly of my work was jaw dropping. "Angela tells me you have a special weekend planned, so get out of here."

Edward was at my side within seconds as we watched Emmett discussing some formalities with Angela. "I'll update you on Monday, Edward," said Emmett as he practically pushed us out of the room.

"Oh Bella, you can finish the editing job next Friday. I want you to finish up with the Harding manuscript you've been reviewing," added Angela as she peeked her head out of the conference room for a moment. I nodded my head at her, relieved that I didn't have to empty out my office today, but still in shock at becoming a published author. When Edward and I finally got into my office, he closed the door tightly behind us and swept me up into a huge hug, lifting me off my feet.

"Can you believe it? You're going to be published," shouted Edward so that everyone in the greater Seattle area could hear him. "My company and Hancock are working together and your book is our first big project for them. This is so sweet. I need to give Emmett a raise," laughed Edward as I smiled and kissed his lips eagerly.

"Okay, this is totally a celebration weekend now. I brought some clothes to change into; can you give me a few minutes while I run to the ladies room?" I asked as Edward nodded and made himself comfortable at my desk and I grabbed my bag and headed down the hallway.

When I came back, Edward was talking animatedly to Angela about Esme. "She was a wild one in her younger days," laughed Angela as Edward listened carefully to her. "I remember one night when she got really drunk and almost flew down to Vegas insisting that she was going to marry Wayne Newton. She ended up puking on the bouncer at the bar and we took her home where she slept it off for several days, but she was crazy in her youth." I laughed heartily at the story Angela had to share, but the moment she was finished, Edward stood up and took my bag from me.

"It was wonderful to meet you Angela. I'm sure when we get back into town we will be heading out to dinner to celebrate the venture. Emmett will keep in touch and I'll see you soon," he said sweetly as I waved at her and led him from my soon to be former office.

When we finally got into the Volvo, I leaned my head back against the headrest, still in shock from the events of the past half an hour. "I know, it's a little overwhelming huh?" asked Edward as he pulled the car from the parking spot and we pulled out onto the street, heading towards the I-5 N out of the city.

"A little. I mean, I'm sure there is a signing bonus and everything, but very soon I will be technically unemployed," I said with a nervous smile.

"Well, if you are worried about money, I can always help out," offered Edward genuinely as I scoffed at his suggestion. I had a few months worth of salary saved up, so money wasn't a big concern, but I hadn't been without a real job since I was sixteen years old.

"It's not the money. It's what I will do with this newfound freedom. No longer having to answer to 'the man' or 'woman' in my case. I have no idea what my next story will be about," I sighed as Edward's hand reached across the console of the car and he grasped my hand firmly in his.

"It'll come to you. How did you come up with the idea for your last story?" he asked nervously. I hadn't shown Edward my book and there was no rhyme or reason behind it. I reminded myself to send him a copy as soon as I could, so that he could read for himself how I came up with the idea.

"I went to Jackson Hole, Wyoming," I said honestly as he smiled at me brightly.

"Well, maybe this trip to Victoria will inspire you," Edward said as he squeezed my hand and I leaned my head back again, closing my eyes. Everything was way too surreal at this point. I was going on a weekend getaway with my successful advertising mogul boyfriend and I was about to be a published author. I let out a loud 'squee' as we turned onto the highway and Edward laughed at me while grinning stupidly.

"I'm a fucking writer," I said proudly. Everything seemed to be falling into place for me, which was not how things usually go. When things seem to go good for me, the other shoe always drops and I find myself even worse off than I was before. Case in point, Jacob Black. I was happy, I thought I was in love and I felt like I was on cloud nine the moment I walked into my apartment, until I saw him fucking someone else.

I had even commented last weekend at Logan's birthday party how I thought things were going too well for Edward and me these days, but as we continued the drive, I tried to push the thoughts from my mind. Instead, I focused on the sexy man beside me and the three mind blowing nights we were going to spend in a suite in one of the most expensive and lavish hotels in Victoria. I had totally Googled that shit when I got home after Edward told me where we were staying.

"What are you thinking about sweetheart?" asked Edward as we had been driving for over half an hour in complete silence, with the exception of the Coldplay coming from the stereo.

"I'm just over thinking everything, you know how I can be," I admitted nervously as Edward brought my hand to his face and kissed it gently.

"Just enjoy the ride Bella," exclaimed Edward as we turned onto WA-104 and the song on the stereo changed to 'The Way Things Are' by Fiona Apple and I burst out laughing as I sang along, watching the tress pass in the window as I tried to enjoy the ride.

_I'm much better off the way things are  
Much much better off, better by far, by far_

**A/N: Logan is officially on holidays for a few chapters. So no cuteness, unless it comes from Bella or Edward. Most Likely Edward.**


	30. Lovely Tonight

**A/N: Yep, I'm back. This chapter was almost 5,000 words before I added my Authors Note, so this one will be lengthy. I've got some major things planned in the near future of this story, and thanks to MaggieMay14 for being my beta and agreeing with my ideas.**

**I've got two fic recommendations for you lovely folks today:**

_**Starting Now by Lovebuggkiss**_** and **_**In It For Love by Tellmenolies**_**. I'm the beta for Starting Now, so I'm just being a whore by rec'ing it, but I stumbled across In it for Love on one of my readers profiles (thanks addictedtotwilight79)**

**Anyways, enjoy the fluff!**

**I don't own twilight, but I do have like 10 mosquito bites from my weekend away. Dirty little bastards.**

**BPOV**

The ride to Victoria was… exhilarating to say the least. The moment I decided to stop worrying and simply enjoy the ride, as Edward had advised, I immediately felt different; renewed almost. I found myself stealing glances at him as he drove and hoped he was oblivious to me and my movements. I was also thankful that he couldn't read my mind; otherwise he'd be concerned about how giddy my thoughts were and probably inquire as to whether I should be committed.

Once the car was unloaded from the ferry and we had gone through customs, I was excited to get to the hotel to be alone with him. It seemed like it had been ages since we had been intimate with one another but it had been less than two weeks. Since the entire Lauren debacle, which Rosalie insisted was handled, I had been even more possessive with Edward. When we had gone out to dinner the night of the birthday party, I clung to him more than usual and glared at anyone who dared to look at him in any way that was even close to being less than pure.

I even stayed at his side while he checked us in to our suite, even though all I wanted to do was explore the lavish lobby of the hotel. If the rating system went up to ten stars, this would definitely qualify, I thought to myself as I looked around casually. When we had first pulled up to the hotel, I was a little shocked at how grand it was, the place literally looked like some old castle with its high roof and intricate details. The lobby was filled with lots of antiques, gorgeous paintings and old leather arm chairs that reminded me of a library in some old Victorian house. The ceilings were high with wooden beams and huge chandeliers hung every so often; Edward had to nudge me gently to get my attention away from everything.

"So whatcha think?" asked Edward anxiously as we entered our lavish suite on the fourth floor. I began walking around checking out every small detail as though I was trying to commit them to memory. The living room had a long formal couch and a couple of club chairs, with a big TV inside a wooden armoire. The bedroom was a lot more extravagant with a huge king sized bed covered in elaborate gold colored bedding and more pillows than I had ever seen in my life.

"It's lovely," I remarked casually, knowing full well that I had no suitable words to describe the opulence that was our room.

The bell hop showed up at the room a few moments later and left our bags in the bedroom as Edward slipped him a few bucks for his assistance. "Why don't you go get comfortable? I have to run to the lobby for a minute," said Edward cryptically as he practically sprinted from the room after giving me a small kiss on the cheek. I busied myself by unpacking both of our bags into the closet and then checked out the bathroom, which had one of the largest tubs I had ever seen in my entire life. It was nice to be staying in the lap of luxury.

Edward was back less than ten minutes later, smiling from ear to ear. "Dinner should be up soon and we have plans tomorrow night, so I hope you have something sexy to wear." I simply nodded my head in response and thought about the sexy white dress Alice and I had picked up a few weeks ago during a random shopping trip. It would hopefully be suitable for wherever we were going tomorrow night. I knew Edward had something decent to wear because I emptied his luggage, which seemed to annoy him when he finally realized I had done it.

"What do you want to do tonight?" asked Edward after we had finally finished our dinner, which consisted of cedar plank salmon, asparagus and spinach salad. We had already been in our hotel room for almost two hours and we were still fully dressed, I think this surprised both of us.

"I think it would be a great start to the weekend if we took a long soak in that huge tub," I said sweetly as I let my fingers dance slowly over his chest, which was still covered in his button down check shirt.

"I hope you mean together," he asked with a nervous gulp as I simply nodded my head and walked towards the gargantuan bathroom, positively beaming with excitement. I turned on the water till it was the perfect temperature and watched the tub fill up as I poured in the entire bottle of almond scented bubble bath that had been sitting on the edge of the tub, as provided by the hotel. I was already naked and soaking in the tub with bubbled up to my neck, before Edward walked into the steam filled room.

"You look like you have something on your mind?" I inquired as I watched intently as Edward undressed, throwing all of his clothes into the corner with mine and slipped into the tub. I wrapped my legs around him as he leaned his head back against my chest and I began to run my hands through his hair. A silver bowl and two glasses caught my eye on the edge of the tub. Had I been so relaxed that I didn't even notice Edward bring these in with him?

"I brought dessert," he said with a chuckle as he handed me a glass of champagne and I noticed the bowl was filled with chocolate covered strawberries. "See, I have moves better than Logan. He's not even legal so this would be juice and berries." We both laughed easily at his comment but the laughter soon subsided as his next question shocked me into silence.

"How do you feel about marriage Bella?" Edward asked as I watched him calmly sip from his champagne flute. I had no idea if he was proposing or not, so after a few minutes of silence I offered up the vaguest answer I could think of.

"I think it works for some couples."

"Do you think it might work for us?" he asked again as I almost choked on the strawberry he had given me. "I'm not proposing Bella. Today was an important day in determining your future and it got me wondering about OUR future," said Edward simply as I reached down and began massaging his shoulders. He moaned in appreciation, but I think I was just working out my own tension on his shoulders, rather than trying to relive some of his.

"I think it could work for us down the road, Edward." I finally replied, hoping I had placated him somehow.

"Do you want kids?" he asked slowly as I gave him a tentative smile. "I'm not going to go poke holes in the condoms or replace your birth control pills with placebos. I just want to make sure that we want the same things in the long run."

I nodded in agreement because he was right, why waste our time if we really didn't want to travel down the same road, together. I mustered up all of my courage and took a quick gulp of the champagne as Edward turned around in the tub and rested his chin on my stomach. I was momentarily distracted by his firm, naked ass before I shook my head and brought myself back to reality.

"Yes, I want kids one day and I want to be married one day, but I am certainly not ready for it now since there is so much I want to do and so many places I want to see. I just don't think it would be fair to a drag a baby along. However, I know that if this book does well, the book tour that Hancock would send me on could take me to a lot of the places I want to go." I was about to continue after a short pause to catch my breath but Edward tried to interrupt me. I silenced him with a deep kiss and continued my thoughts. "I want those things eventually and I want them with you and only you. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't envisioned you playing baseball with a little boy with messy bronze hair and dark brown eyes or having tea at a small table with a little girl with bright green eyes and long dark hair. I want it all with you Edward, just not today."

"A simple yes would have been fine Bella," laughed Edward as I grinned happily before I smacked him on the back of the head. I joined in on the laughter and he turned back around so he could reach a strawberry to feed me. "Although, I do like the imagines you've created of our future children."

"A little of you and a little of me,' I said with a tiny smile as I licked my licks before I accepted the strawberry he offered.

"You know Bella, if there is somewhere you want to go or something you want to see, you'll have to let me know or we'll never get around to doing them," Edward added as he set our glasses down on the floor, placed his hands on the edge of the tub, beside my head, and lifted himself so his face was even with mine as he placed a chaste kiss on my lips. "In the meantime, we can always practice making those babies."

My instinct was to laugh at Edward's comment, but his lips were pressed hard against mine before I could respond. I let me body do the talking for me as I wrapped my legs tight around his waist and I could feel his hardness at my entrance. My mouth was instinctively on his neck as my hand plunged into his hair and I pulled him closer to me. I let out a low guttural moan as he slipped inside my eager tightness.

"I love you, always," Edward muttered genuinely as he moved inside of me, the lukewarm water of the bath lapping against his defined, muscular body.

"I love you, forever," I responded sweetly as I slipped my hand between our bodies and began to rub my clit, which distracted him as he glanced down at my hand and shuddered slightly.

"So fucking gorgeous," he said solemnly as I moaned in ecstasy. I was close to the edge and thankfully Edward was too. As my body tightened in orgasm, Edward pulled out and came in the tub with a resounding sigh. I felt a little frustrated when he pulled out, but when I noticed we had forgotten the condom, relief washed over me and I began to get out of the tub. We were always extremely careful when it came to our sex life and even though I was on the pill, it was very rare for us to go without both forms of contraception. "We're not ready for little babies, remember?" laughed Edward as I tossed him a towel, as he dripped water onto the bath rug outside of the tub.

"Right," I said with a grin as I leaned forward and licked some water from his jaw line. "Not until we're married."

The rest of the night, we lay on the couch with Edward's iPod playing in the background as we finished the champagne and strawberries Edward had ordered from room service. He had been awaiting their arrival while I was busy warming up the bath tub earlier and it had been a pleasant surprise to say the least. As I felt his fingers dance along the back of my neck, I realized I had some important issues that I wanted to discuss with him as well.

"So Daddy… how many kids do you want?"

"Um… two or three at least, though knowing us we'd end up like that family in Arkansas that has like eighteen kids because we can't keep our hands off of each other," he laughed as my face turned pale at the thought.

"Oh hell no," I chuckled seriously. "You'd get snipped way before eighteen kids, Edward Cullen." Edward looked at me as though I had just run over his dog, so I quickly changed the topic. "If Cullen Advertising expanded again to another state or country, before we got married, would you want me to come with you?"

"No Bella, I want you to stay home and miss me," he said sarcastically as I glared at him in frustration.

"I was being serious," I retorted angrily.

"So was I and that was a seriously stupid question. Of course I would want you to come with me. You can write anywhere in the world. Wherever I am, I want you to be there too." I smiled easily at him as I felt his lips against my neck. He was humming softly and the sensation was very arousing. He broke me from my reverie a few moments later though as he spoke again. "This conversation has given me a great idea. When is your lease up?"

_What the fuck?_

**EPOV**

The expression on Bella's face was one of pure shock. "We've already agreed that we want to get married and have babies one day, so don't look so surprised," I explained with a big grin as I went back to humming against Bella's neck as I waited for her response.

I was leaning back against the armrest of the couch, my arms wrapped tightly around her chest. We had changed into some comfortable clothes and we were both trying to relax, although I think that went out the window when I suggested that Bella should move in with me.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea…" she began to say before I interrupted her and began to fill her head with my logic.

"How many nights a week do we sleep over at either my place or yours?" I asked, knowing full well the answer was at least three. Bella didn't answer, instead opting to simply nod her head in acknowledgment of my argument. "Think of all the money you are throwing away on rent."

"I'm not throwing it away Edward, I love my place," Bella retorted fiercely, as though that would stop me from my new mission.

"Bella, it's an overpriced storage space, half of your stuff is at my place anyways," I added as I kissed the top of her head and watched her eat a strawberry slowly, as though she was thinking hard about my words. "You've thought about having my kids but not about moving in with me?"

"Are you asking me?" she replied tensely until I heard her giggle quietly. She seemed to be playing with me and I guess that she simply wanted me to come out and ask her.

"Isabella Swan, love of my life, will you do me the honor of moving in with me and allowing me to wake up beside you every morning?" I asked sweetly as I held her hand in mind and kissed her palm.

"I'll think about it," she answered with a laugh as I tensed up at her reply. I had been dead serious and she simply laughed at me. I thought of a few responses that no doubt would have resulted in a fight and a shitty weekend in Victoria, so I kept my mouth shut and glanced up at the clock.

"It's getting late Bella, we should head to bed," I said calmly as I tried to sit up a bit on the couch, but was held in place by Bella's body pressed against mine.

"Are you mad?" she asked anxiously as she finally moved and I could stand up from the couch. I reached my hand out to help Bella up and she smiled tentatively, her brown eyes looking remorseful.

"No Bella, I'm not mad. We have an appointment tomorrow and plans in the evening. I really do think we should head to bed," I said sincerely, even though I was a bit frustrated about the moving thing. I wrapped my arm around her waist and led her into the bedroom of our suite. "I'll break you down eventually."

"Pretty sure of yourself huh?" asked Bella as she crawled into our huge bed and proceeded to get comfortable.

"I'm persistent, or haven't you noticed?" I laughed as I climbed into the bed beside her and pulled the blankets over us. I swept her body close to mind and heard her giggle quietly to herself. She seemed determined to make me work for it and I was desperate to get her to move in with me. Game on.

The next morning was very relaxed between us, almost as though we hadn't had the most serious discussion of our relationship the night before. We ate breakfast in relative peace with the exception of Bella trying desperately to find out what I had planned for our evening. Just as we had finished with our late breakfast of blueberry waffles and fruit, there was a knock on the door. I opened it eagerly as two women walked in carrying massage tables.

"I almost forgot we had a couples' massage scheduled this morning," I remarked as I tightened the belt on my bathrobe, clearly recalling I only had on a pair of boxer shorts. Bella's eyes lit up with excitement as I kissed her forehead and the women, Helga and Lena, advised us to get comfortable aka naked. They set up their tables in the living room as Bella and I wandered into the bedroom and pulled our clothes off, a little too enthusiastically.

We lay on the tables, with towels covering our asses as Helga and Lena explained a few things to us before starting. I had scheduled a one hour massage for us together and as I felt the hot oil drip onto my back, Bella reached over and grabbed my hand in hers. We were both face down on our own massage tables, but I could feel the immeasurable electricity running between us. It didn't take long for me to be completely relieved of my stress and when they had us roll over, I finally was able to glance at Bella, who looked almost as peaceful as me. She now had a towel draped across her chest and I couldn't help but imagine myself oiling her up and running my hands all over her body.

Little did I realize, that only minutes later, I fell into a comfortable sleep. When I woke up, the room was oddly quiet and when I glanced over at Bella's table, it wasn't there. I did however feel a pair of hands on my chest and looked up to see Bella climbing onto the table completely naked, straddling me. Her hands were not quite as good as Helga's, but she got a completely different reaction from my body and I was suddenly hard as a rock and desperate for her as I felt her fingers trace around my nipples.

"I had to slip them a fifty dollar bill to get them to come back in an hour for the table," laughed Bella as she leaned forward and bit my ear gently. Her hands were now working on my shoulders and as she leaned above me, her breasts were in perfect line with my mouth, so I forced my head up and took a nipple into my mouth, eliciting a loud moan of pleasure from her.

"Ah Fuck, Edward," she added as my hands ghosted up her sides to her back and I pulled her down against me. Neither of us had gotten cleaned up from the massage, so this was going to be extremely slippery, I thought to myself as Bella suddenly sat up and pulled a condom out from the end of the table. "I planned ahead."

I watched in awe as she slipped the condom on me and then slid onto my length with ease. I gasped as I felt myself inside of her heat and as she began to buck up and down slowly on me, I almost lost it completely. "Is this table sturdy?" I asked, suddenly worried about it taking our weight. Bella didn't seem to care though because she kept riding me like a wild stallion as she reached down and began to rub her clit at the same time. My hands instinctively grasped onto her tits and I moaned her name as a chant while she fucked me, harder than I could remember us doing previously. I tried to focus on what Bella was doing to me, but I heard a slight noise from the table and immediately tensed up. Little did I know that two seconds later, Bella was coming loudly, my name echoing around the room and I followed right behind her, desperate for my own release.

"See, the table is fine Edward," sighed Bella as she hopped off of me and tossed her bathrobe back on. "Helga wouldn't have suggested it if she thought the table would snap," she laughed as she headed towards the bathroom. I glanced up at the clock and saw it was almost one in the afternoon. We still had a few hours before we had to leave for dinner and then the club we were going to. Pierre, the concierge had filled me in on some of the happening events in Victoria while we were in town and there was a concert at a club called 'Richard's' downtown. It was only a few blocks from our hotel, but I knew the show started at 8, so I wanted us to leave for dinner in plenty of time.

"We have to leave at five for dinner Bella," I called to her as she wandered into the bedroom. I grabbed the phone to call Pierre and make sure that he had in fact got us the concert tickets.

"Sorry Mr. Cullen, I had to make some slight adjustments. You will still see the show, but when you get to the door, give the bouncer your name and he will direct you," said Pierre cryptically. "I also made a mention of your special request; I'm just not sure if it can be fulfilled. I tried my best, but you know how temperamental singers can be."

Bella and I let the afternoon get away from us as we showered all of the oil and sex off of ourselves and settled on the couch to a bad pay per view movie and some overpriced peanuts from the honor bar. Bella had cursed up a storm about the eight bucks I paid for peanuts, but I didn't care because I was in seventh heaven with her. When we finally got up and managed to get ready for dinner, it was almost four. Bella proceeded to do her hair and makeup with ease and wandered out of the bathroom with plenty of time to spare, looking like she had spent the afternoon at a salon.

"You look simply stunning," I said genuinely as she twirled around in her white knee length dress which hugged all of her curves.

"Call it seven years of being best friends with Alice. She had to rub off on me at some point," laughed Bella as I wrapped my hand in hers and pulled her out into the hallway. I had dressed in a simple dark blue button down shirt with a pair of black dress pants. Bella kept commenting about how handsome I looked, but I was certain I looked like shit next to her. We ate dinner at a small restaurant only a block from 'Richard's', which Pierre had recommended. We were both pleased with the dinner, but I could tell Bella was getting antsy by the time the bill was presented by our overly excitable waitress.

"She was so eyeing you up," laughed Bella as I slipped my hand into hers after I had paid the bill and we were leaving the restaurant. I glanced at my watch and saw that it was already quarter to eight and I was relieved we were so close to the venue.

"I only have eyes for you Bella," I said sweetly as she scoffed at me and gripped my hand tight as we walked down the street. "You should have brought a jacket."

"And ruin this sexy dress? No thank you. As Alice says, sometimes you have to hurt for fashion," laughed Bella as I glared at her and we stumbled upon Richards's. There was a long line up in front of the building and we stopped in front of the bouncer and I gave him my name eagerly. Bella looked at me with surprise as he opened the velvet rope and let us in.

"Carly, these two are guests of Pierre. Take care of them," shouted the bouncer as I wrapped my arm around Bella's waist and led her to the woman standing in front of the coat room, clearly named Carly.

"Hi Guys. Any friends of Pierre's are friends of ours," she said politely as she walked us around the outside edge of the club and to the right side of the stage. "I'm sorry we were completely sold out, but I am sure you won't mind standing in the wings for a little bit, right?" I nodded my head and then glanced down at Bella's high heel covered feet. She slipped them off with a smile as I kissed her forehead and thanked Carly for her help. She promised that if we needed anything further to let her know.

"Do you want a drink before the show starts?" I asked with a grin as Bella nodded her head. Unfortunately, the bar didn't have a great selection so I grabbed us two beers and I went back to join her. Bella was still standing nervously and when I handed her the beer, she seemed to relax considerably. I was about to say something to her when the stage lights went down and I wrapped my arm around her waist.

"Welcome to Richard's everyone. We have a special treat tonight. On his sold our North American tour, please join us in welcoming Joshua Radin…" said the announcer as Bella whipped her entire body around and stared at me in complete shock. I wished I had a camera with me to capture this moment on film. Joshua came out and sat on the small stool at the center of the stage with his guitar to the resounding cheers and claps of the crowd. He immediately started in with his most recent single 'I'd Rather Be with You' as Bella stood on her tip toes and tried to talk to me.

"Did you know he was in town?" she yelled at me as I forced my ear closer to her, desperate to hear what she was trying to say.

"No. Pierre told me last night."

Bella seemed placated by this and clung to me the rest of the night as we watched the show. Joshua was awesome in concert, not that I had expected any less and before we realized it, he had played almost all of our favorite songs and the night was starting to wind down. Bella and I had spent the entire concert either wrapped in each other's arms or touching in some way and I hoped that my love for her was showing in every movement I made, since I couldn't really tell her over the loud music.

"A close friend of mine begged me for a favor and since I'm a sucker for true love, this song is for Bella and Edward, who he has assured me are here somewhere," said Joshua as Bella loosened herself from my grip and turned around again to face me. Joshua started to sing 'Lovely Tonight' which was the song we made love to on our faux Christmas up in Jackson Hole and Bella knew it immediately. She kissed me passionately, grabbing my hair and pulling my face down to hers eagerly, before finally turning around to enjoy the show.

_I need you to know this won't be broken  
And all that we said will not be lost into the dawn  
And you would be the last thing I saw coming  
I'm still surprised_

You are lovely tonight  
You, dear, will guide me into the morning light  
You are lovely tonight  
Lay here beside me - I see the rest of my life with you

Alone we are fine; but when we're two, we are eternal  
The moons have aligned our separate lives; here become one  
And you would be the last thing I saw coming  
I'm still surprised

You are lovely tonight  
You, dear, will guide me into the morning light  
You are lovely tonight  
Lay here beside me - I see the rest of my life with you

All my life I've lived alone without you  
All this time I couldn't find a way to belong

And you are lovely tonight  
You, dear, will guide me into the morning light  
You are lovely tonight  
Lay here beside me - I see the rest of my life with you

Just as the song finished, Bella stood on her tip toes again and whispered in my ear. "My lease is up in June and I would love to move in with you Edward."


	31. Mad World

**A/N: I'm glad everyone loved the last chapter and I was so excited to pass 1,000 reviews. Yeah me and yeah to TrinityLJ for being my 1,000****th**** review! Everyone loved that they are finally moving in together, and they also loved the song choice, which I admit, I am also a Joshua Radin whore. Go look him up if you haven't had a chance yet.**

**Special shout outs to MaggieMay14, Flightlessbird11 (seriously, go read her stories), lovebuggkiss (ditto for her) and my new fan fic soul mate addictedtotwilight79.**

**I hope everyone enjoys the move and the ride!**

**I don't own twilight, but I do have a daughter who insists on watching Shrek the Halls in June!**

**EPOV**

I couldn't believe it was mid June already. Bella and I had gone to Victoria during the first week of April and now, just over two months later, Bella was finally moving into my apartment. Thankfully, it was a bright and sunny day, although they were calling for a rain a little bit later in the evening. When we broke the news to my parents, my mother was so excited; she was practically bouncing off the walls. Alice seemed to offer us some genuine congratulations, even though I wasn't a hundred percent certain she meant them. Logan simply giggled at us and asked if we had a chance to help him with his little parental problem as we tended to refer to it.

Rosalie and Emmett were still dancing around each other like teenagers, except when they were younger they were a lot bolder about what they wanted. They had gone out on a few more dates and even though Emmett kept insisting to me that he really was still in love with her, whenever I saw them together he was very stand offish with her.

Today, they were both at my apartment helping me and Bella schlep her boxes over from her apartment to mine. We had hired some movers to move some of the bigger items, but they were not expected until later in the day. Bella ended up selling a whole bunch of her stuff on craigslist, simply because it wasn't needed in our apartment. Her bed, her dressers, her desk… all of it was gone already. Hell, she had practically been living with me on a permanent basis since we got home from Victoria anyways. We kept her couch, which we were putting into the spare room, which was also an office for her to do her writing. We had gotten a new desk, sort of as a moving in gift, and Bella had spent way too many hours fixing the office just the way she wanted it, until she determined that she needed the couch because she had done some of her best work on it.

"Please Emmett, it's just one night," I heard Rosalie sigh from the living room. She and Emmett had just walked in, each pulling a small trolley of boxes behind them. Bella followed a few moments later, absolutely fuming.

"Rosalie, I can't babysit for you. I have plans that night. Maybe Edward and Bella here can do it?" said Emmett as he shot me an odd glance and I wasn't exactly sure what was going on.

"When do you need us?" I asked anxiously as Emmett dragged his hand truck into the bedroom and left the boxes behind in a small stack on the floor.

"Next Saturday night," said Rosalie with a nervous grin. "I have a date and I thought Emmett would be able to babysit. Can you do it, please? I would really hate to cancel," she said, practically begging. I nodded my head reluctantly as Rosalie smiled and then hugged me tightly, her hands wrapped around my neck like a vise grip. She glared at Emmett as they both walked into the hallway and back towards Bella's place, still arguing about it.

"What's going on?" I asked as Bella handed me the cooler full of food from her fridge.

"Rosalie doesn't have a date. She's going out by herself in an effort to make Emmett jealous. She told me this yesterday. She's hoping that if he sees she's potentially unavailable he might smarten the hell up and finally make a move on her," sighed Bella as I loaded some of the things into the fridge, including her unnatural collection of like ten different mustards.

"I doubt Emmett has a date, he's probably just saying that because he hates the fact that Rose has one. I'll talk to him later and find out what is going on," I added in frustration as Bella handed me another jar of mustard.

"Seriously, how many fucking mustards do you have?" I asked with a grin as she shook her head at me.

"You'll be bitching one day when you are desperate for mustard with wasabi in it or horseradish mustard," laughed Bella as she turned to walk away from me and I smacked her ass playfully. "You're in trouble for that one," she replied as she headed to the door and waved at me as she started down the hallway.

"I'm counting on it," I called back to her eagerly as I continued to unload various things into the fridge before joining them back at Bella's place. Thankfully, over the past two months, we had managed to bring over most of Bella's belongings, so today wasn't as bad as expected. When I had explained everything to Rose and Emmett, they had agreed to help us rather quickly, which surprised both Bella and me. My parents were taking Logan to the science center today for some exhibit on the human body that Carlisle had blabbered on about the moment he found out about the exhibit. I was certainly glad he didn't try to drag me along and I knew Emmett thought the same thing. Perhaps this was why he and Rosalie had so readily agreed to help us move.

It was almost two in the afternoon when the movers arrived at Bella's place to bring over the last of her items. Clouds were still moving in to the area, but luckily the sky was still relatively clear and we were glad they didn't need to pull out any tarps or rain gear to haul some of her stuff across the road. We were seriously overpaying them for basically carrying over a few shelving units and a couch, but oh well, it was worth it to have Bella at my place permanently.

Once Bella's place was finally empty and the keys had been handed in to her building manager, Emmett and I sat out on my small balcony overlooking the city and sipped on some Corona's in relative silence. "So, do you really have a date?" I asked bluntly as he glared at me, clearly upset that I had apparently caught onto his ruse.

"No. I can't believe she has one though. We've gone out like five times already, I feel like I am working from scratch every time we go out," Emmett added with a sigh as he leaned back in his chair and took a long sip of his beer. I could tell he was frustrated about the entire situation and decided to just come clean with him about the information Bella had given me earlier.

"Okay, you know I am totally on Team Emmett when it comes to this shit, so I'm just gonna tell you everything I know," I started to say as Emmett glared at me in surprise. "Logan really wants you guys back together. In fact, he's basically recruited the entire family, including mom and dad in his efforts."

"No shit," laughed Emmett as he smiled at me, apparently pleased that his son was trying to play matchmaker. "I bet he's buttering up mom and dad as we speak; that little sneak."

"Rosalie doesn't really have a date. She doesn't think you're seriously interested in her so she was trying to make you jealous," I said with a small grin as Emmett looked over at me incredulously. He ran his finger along the rim of his bottle before he began to pick away at the painted on label, clearly thinking about her. "I don't know what is going on with you two, but she wants you man. Make a fucking move or lose her."

"She doesn't have a date?" Emmett stammered as he closed his eyes and I patted him on the shoulder lightly in support. Sometimes, he could be a suave motherfucker, but lately, in the presence of his 'soul mate' Rosalie, he was like a three year old with his head stuck in a lawn chair. Nothing was going right for him in the romance department and it was honestly starting to depress even me. Happy go-lucky, I'm now living with the love of my life, Edward.

"Nope." I glanced back towards the kitchen where Rosalie and Bella were standing talking, no doubt about Rose's situation with Emmett. "Can I make a suggestion? I think you should bust in on Rose's 'date' and finally tell her how you feel."

"And if she rejects me?" asked Emmett nervously.

"Then screw her. You're too good for her then," I said boldly as he took another swig of his beer and patted me on the leg.

"Fine. Find out where she's gonna be and let me know. I'm tired of all these games and I'm sure you would all like Logan to leave you guys alone," added Emmett with a nervous laugh. As we finished our beers, Bella and Rosalie stuck their heads out onto the patio to let us know that they were going to order some pizza before Esme and Carlisle arrived with Logan. "Sounds wonderful," said Emmett a little too enthusiastically. I grinned at him as both girls simply shook their heads in confusion and stepped back into the condo.

"Any suggestions on how to win her over?" asked Emmett quietly after they had disappeared.

"Well, don't kill her with kindness," I added as I took the last swig of my beer and stood from my seat. "Just be yourself, but sexier. Kiss her for fucks sake man or take her home and do god knows what to her. We'll keep Logan overnight. Anyways, I should get back in and move those boxes from the living room before mom and dad get here. Care to help?" Emmett simply nodded his head and followed me back into the condo, which got suspiciously quiet when we walked in.

"So, I told him that he was crazy to think I would go out at such a formal charity event unless he bought me the gown," said Rosalie with an anxious giggle as Emmett and I glanced at each other and simply rolled our eyes.

"Rosalie here is telling me about Bryan, who is taking her to a charity ball next Saturday," said Bella awkwardly as she took a sip of her wine and started towards the bedroom. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked as she pointed at me and I followed her, eager to get away from Rose and Em.

Bella was clearly frustrated at the stance Rosalie was taking in her quest to win over Emmett, but I had to admit, that had he not already known she was lying through her teeth, he would have been moving into caveman mode. "She is driving me nuts. I hope you were able to convince Emmett to pull his head out of his ass," she asked as she opened one of the boxes on the bed and began to put some things away in the new dresser we had gotten for her, which matched mine.

"Yeah. He wants to know where she is _really_ going so that he can surprise her and finally move up his game," I laughed as Bella smiled and I kissed her cheek. "I feel so bad being so sneaky, but something desperately has to change between them or I might have to lock them into a room for a week with a bottle of water and a box of condoms."

"Well, she's apparently having dinner with a co-worker at The Lodge and then heading to the theatre down the street to see Terminator by herself. Can you believe that shit? I don't know why she's not asking Emmett, it's like the perfect date for him. All her shit about this Bryan guy, who by the way works in the mailroom at her office and can barely afford Taco Bell let alone a fancy dinner, is killing me," sighed Bella as she sat on the bed, clearly exasperated. "Is it too much to ask that when we walk back into the room they are fucking like rabbits on our counter?"

I peeked out the doorway and Emmett was perched on my couch watching ESPN while Rosalie was chopping some strawberries at the counter. They almost looked like a married couple in their own right. "Nope, not gonna happen," I laughed as I felt Bella behind me, her arms around my waist. I turned around and leaned forward to kiss her, only to have my next move interrupted by knocking on the front door.

"Rosalie, it's wonderful to see you," I heard Esme say brightly as Bella grabbed my hand and pulled me into the living room with the rest of the family. Logan was wandering over to Emmett and showing him the rather intricately labeled skeleton that he was holding.

"This is the liver," said Logan as he pointed it out to Emmett.

"Yeah Emmett, you remember, the organ you will need replaced sooner rather than later," I laughed as Logan looked at me in confusion.

"You can get a new liver? I hate liver. Momma made me eat it once and it was nasty," sighed Logan as he sat down on the couch beside Em, who wrapped his arm around his shoulder. They started discussing the game on TV as Esme and Carlisle came over and gave us a big group hug.

"This is so wonderful. It should have happened a long time ago," said Esme as she rested her purse on the coffee table and proceeded to rummage through my fridge. I was certain she was about to throw together some sort of meal with all the chicken and mustard we had in the fridge, so I nudged Bella and she spoke up.

"We ordered some pizza for dinner Esme. I certainly hope you and Carlisle can stay for a little bit," requested Bella as she took a sip of the wine she had poured for her and Rosalie earlier. My mother eagerly agreed and I leaned against the wall of the kitchen staring at my family, glad that things were finally moving in a good direction. If only Emmett and Rosalie could smarten up, life could be perfect.

**BPOV**

The move could almost be considered flawless, if it wasn't for Rosalie and her half-hearted attempts to win Emmett's affections. After five, apparently, passionless dates, Rosalie had decided to make up a date with some imaginary guy named Bryan and insisted that she needed Emmett to babysit, which of course made Emmett create a fake date of his own and now Edward and I were coerced into babysitting Logan next weekend while they did nothing, but stew about their feelings for one another.

Even now, as we all sat around our living room eating pizza and watching baseball, I could sense the tension between the two of them. It reminded me of Edward and I back in Jackson Hole, before we started getting to know each other more and having sex regularly. "And then, we saw a beating heart and blood came out and it was really yucky," said Logan has he waved his arms about, excitedly explaining the exhibit he had seen with Edward's parents.

"Logan, we're eating dinner honey, can we talk about this later?" suggested Rosalie sweetly as she sensed that a discussion on a bloody heart wasn't exactly proper fodder for the dinner table.

"So, Bella, when does the book tour start?" asked Esme with an anxious grin. She was probably already planning our wedding and picking out china patterns, while trying to gauge the best time for a wedding between me and her son, when he hadn't proposed and I wasn't expecting one for a long time to come.

"September apparently, although the release date has been pushed back slightly due to a problem with the printer. I heard something about a possible strike, so I'm just remaining hopeful that things proceed as planned," I said casually as she dragged me into a conversation about Angela and their history together. I kept glancing over at Edward, who seriously looked as though he was in seventh heaven. He wasn't speaking to anyone, but was keeping his eye on everything happening around us. I made a mental note to ask him about it all later when we were finally alone in our apartment.

_Our apartment_, I still loved the sound of that. Even though Edward was technically the only owner, he said as soon as we were married he was putting me on the deed, which caught me a bit off guard. I finally relented after four conversations on the topic, because Edward kept insisting that he needed us to be equal partners in everything going forward. It probably didn't help that he considered withholding sex from me in order to get what he wanted. Sneaky bastard.

Right after the baseball game ended, Alice and Jasper showed up with a huge basket of cheeses, crackers and wine as a housewarming gift, which I found extremely thoughtful. As I hugged them both for their generous gift, I could hear Edward scoffing behind me. "I've lived here by myself for six months and you never brought me a gift. I finally move Bella in and you come bearing baskets. How is that fair?"

"Well, this basket is for Bella actually. When I moved in with Jasper she got us a huge bottle of champagne. What did you get me when I moved in with him?" retorted Alice as she placed her hands on her hips, which helped her look even more frustrated at her older brother.

"Emmett and I sent you that huge crystal vase," Edward said angrily as he glanced over at Emmett. "I shelled out like two hundred bucks for that thing."

Alice bust out laughing now as everyone glanced over at Emmett. "What? So I forgot to put his name on the card, give me a break. That was like two years ago," sighed Emmett as he turned his attention back to the TV. Edward groaned as he expressed his displeasure at Emmett.

"You probably made me pay for the entire thing too, huh?" Edward asked as he poked Emmett on the shoulder. Emmett simply grinned and said nothing in response, which of course made everyone think that he was right. When I looked over at Esme, she was scowling at Emmett almost as fiercely as Edward was, clearly disappointed in her eldest child.

Alice and Jasper hung around a lot later than the rest of the family, but everyone else had arrived so much earlier than them. I noticed Edward corner Emmett before he left. I knew they were discussing where Rosalie was going to be on Saturday night and I was pleased to see that our plan was coming together somewhat. Logan had asked me earlier in the night if we had any ideas for his parents, and I kept insisting that we were 'working on it'. Although for once, I was telling him the truth.

Once the family had left, Edward and Jasper worked on putting my shelves back together in the office, while Alice helped me unpack some of my photos and breakables in the living room.

"I admit I will still a bit surprised you are moving in with Edward," said Alice as she pulled a photo of her and I from high school graduation out of the box and placed it on the mantel. "My mom kept insisting you guys would be cute together and I never believed her. I think I was keeping you for myself."

"Aww.. . Alice, you know I don't swing that way baby," I said sweetly as I pulled her into a hug. "I may be in love with your brother, but you will always be the first Cullen I loved," I added with a laugh as she squeezed me tightly.

"If you are sure he's what you want, then I am happy for you, just don't name your kids anything stupid," she laughed as I grabbed another photo from the box, this one of Alice, Jasper and I together. It had been before they had started dating and we were all simply friends, back when things were easy and life consisted of school, sleeping and drinking copious amounts of alcohol.

"Consider it done."

We chatted easily as I made a pot of coffee for all of us and were finally relieved when they left around nine o'clock. Edward was lying on the couch, looking exhausted, as I wandered over and sat down beside him, kissing his temple.

"Today was long," he said with a tired sigh as he propped himself on his elbows. "No more moving for a while, okay?"

"Deal," I replied sweetly I lay down beside him and he wrapped his arms around me tightly.

"Since, we're doing the babysitting thing next weekend, Rosalie's going to drop Logan off early and we're going to take him to my parents place, if that's alright with you? They are calling for warm weather and dad opened the pool a few weeks ago," said Edward as I felt his fingers brush along the nape of my neck.

"That's cool. Then we'll be out of the city if the shit hits the fan between Rose and Em. I wouldn't put it past her to hunt us down for letting the cat out of the bag about her pseudo date," I laughed for a moment as I then let out a low groan from the feeling of his fingers dancing down my back, making me ache for him desperately.

I stood from the couch and began sorting through some boxes in the kitchen as Edward fell sound asleep on the couch, his light snoring making me laugh excitedly at the prospect of hearing it every night in our bed. I opened the fridge and noticed even though we had purged two fridges into one, we were still missing a ton of things, the most important being eggs and milk for breakfast the next morning. I glanced up at the clock and saw that it was only nine thirty. Since summer was fast approaching, there was a still a bit of sunlight cascading through the windows and I decided to head over to the local store.

I grabbed a pen and piece of paper and left Edward a short note saying I was heading to the store down the block. It was around the corner from our apartment and I knew a quick trip would only take me ten minutes at the most, so I grabbed the twenty dollar bill and keys that was resting on the counter and quietly stepped out into the hallway, locking the door behind me.

I wandered down the street, enjoying the warm breeze as I stared at the buildings around me. Everything seemed so perfect in the city now that I was living with Edward and I was soon to be a published author. I smiled at some of the couples passing me on the street and recalled the time when Edward and I walked back to my old apartment after reuniting at the Lodge a few months ago. We had been working our way back to one another and dealing with our trust issues, which were now a thing of the past.

I stepped into the store and quickly adjusted to the bright lights as I made my way to the dairy case at the back. Before Edward had come into my life, I would spend many an evening coming down to the store to grabbing a pint of Ben and Jerry's after having an argument with Jacob. I quickly grabbed my items and made nice with the cashier who was clearly new before I headed out onto the sidewalk, my purchases in hand.

The next few moments were a complete blur in my memory. I had noticed that a light mist was falling and then I heard tires screeching and some yelling coming from somewhere, but I didn't know where. I thought I heard someone yell 'move', but I was motionless. All I saw were bright white lights and then there was nothing. No people, no sounds, no Edward.

_All around are me are familiar faces  
Worn out places, worn out faces  
Bright and early for the daily races  
Going nowhere, going nowhere  
And their tears are filling up their glasses  
No expression, no expression  
Hide my head I wanna drown my sorrows  
No tomorrow, no tomorrow_

And I find it kind of funny  
I find it kind of sad  
The dreams in which in dying  
Are the best I've ever had  
I find it hard to tell you  
I find it hard to take  
When people run in circles  
It's a very very,  
Mad world, Mad world  


**A/N: Sorry for the cliffie. I really do love you guys! Get pissed at MaggieMay14 who thought my plot device was genius. You'll find out more next chapter. The song at the end is Mad World by Tears for Fears, although I personally prefer the Gary Jules version.**


	32. Wake Up Call

**A/N: As requested, here is the follow up to the cliffie from last chapter. Thanks again for all the awesome reviews, I was nearing 100 last time I checked for this chapter alone, which was awesome, although I think the influx of reviews came from the fact that I pissed you all off by making them so happy and then ruining said happiness. Ah well, I'm a masochist, what can I say?**

**MaggieMay14 is also a masochist and a fan of fuckhot rob on a motorcycle with tattoos :) She's also helping me with a new story, yes I said a NEW STORY, which will be more smut than I usually handle. So, play nice with her or I'll only show her the story, LOL**

**Anyways, as per usual, I'm thanking flightlessbird11, weasleyweakness, lysvia (where are you girl?), lovebuggkiss and the rest of the coldplaywhore gang that reviews on a regular basis! I love you all in a very platonic fan fiction sort of way, except you addictedtotwlight79, I love you like I used to love Jared Leto. LOL**

**Ok, I don't own twilight, but I do a crazy amount of useless knowledge and dream of appearing on Jeopardy.**

**EPOV**

As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and sat up on the couch, I immediately stretched my arms over my head and let out a long satisfying yawn. After the events of the day, I wasn't surprised by how quickly I had fallen asleep on the couch. Unfortunately, my back was probably going to be aching later, both from the move and the couch. As I stretched my body again, I couldn't help feeling the sheer excitement coursing through my veins. Bella lived with me and as far as I was concerned, she would be with me for the rest of my life, if she would have me of course, which she kept insisting she would. A smile crossed my face as I ran my fingers through my hair haphazardly and yawned once more.

I turned my head slowly to the left and the bright blue letters of the clock on the microwave read 1:12 and the entire room was pitch black. I flipped on the light on the end table and reluctantly stood from the couch which had been my bed for the past four hours. Bella clearly had the common sense to crawl into bed instead of to remain lying with me on the couch, which was where she was when I felt asleep a while ago. I was suddenly surprised by the realization that she hadn't woken me to go to bed with her. I shrugged my shoulders as I got up and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, drinking it down greedily as I noticed the small slip of paper on the counter, covered in her hand writing.

_Went to the store for milk and eggs. Be Right Back_

_Love,_

_Bella_

I quickly picked the paper up from the hard grey granite counter and crumpled it in my hand, tossing it in the garbage as I went back towards the living room to shut off the light. As I passed the front door though, I realized I was awake enough to notice several things at once; Bella's keys were not on the counter where she always rested them, even before she lived here, but her wallet was there. Only the deadbolt was locked, not the chain lock and her shoes were gone.

In a blind panic, I bolted into our bedroom and saw that the bed was still impeccably made from earlier in the day. The new red comforter which Bella had picked up only days ago from Bed, Bath and Beyond lay flat against the bed, all the pillows still in place and everything looked untouched. _Oh fuck_, I muttered to myself as I ran through the apartment, desperate to find her curled up on the couch in her office or doing a load of laundry. _Nothing._ Every room I stepped into was void of Bella. Even the balcony, which still housed the empty Corona bottles from my afternoon with Emmett was empty. _What fucking time did she go to the store?_

I stepped out into the hallway and looked in each direction, but there was no sign of her again, so I grabbed my keys as I slipped on some sandals and ran down to my car, hoping to find her on her way back from the store, grocery bag in hand. The moment I sat down in the car, I was feeling completely at a loss, as though something major was missing from me, like my heart. I scoffed to myself as I turned the key and slipped out onto our street, still petrified yet hopeful. She couldn't have gone far, I reminded myself.

The store we usually frequented for such late night needs was closed. Of course, it was fucking closed its twenty after one in the god damn morning. I drove around the block for a few minutes as I picked up my cell phone and dialed her number. It went to voicemail. Shit.

As I sat in my parked car in front of the store I hoped she would be at, I called 911 to see if I could report a missing person. I was transferred to a detective at the local precinct who told me that until she had been missing for twenty four hours, there wasn't much that they could do. I had twenty more hours to wait until I could report her missing, how fucking stupid was that? I cursed as I threw my head against the steering wheel in frustration. I didn't know what else to do, so I drove back to our apartment and ran up the stairs, hoping that she would be sitting on the couch waiting for me.

"_Where have you been Edward?" she would say to me calmly as my face would break out in the biggest smile in my life._

"_Looking for you sweetheart. Always looking for you," I would reply as I would lean forward and take her face into my hands gently, showing her all the love I had for her through my expressive eyes._

When I walked in, everything was the exact same as I had left it and there was still no sign of Bella.

I picked up the land line and immediately called Alice. Not that I thought she had gone to see her, but I hoped that Bella might have mentioned something earlier in the night that I had forgotten or wasn't aware of. I was starting to grasp at straws and I knew it. If Bella was playing some sort of game, I was fucking pissed.

"Edward, it's almost two in the morning, this better be fucking good," said Jasper groggily into the phone as I begged to speak to Alice. I could hear him muttering curse words as he woke Alice who seemed just as angry that I had called and woken her from what I guessed was a peaceful slumber.

"What?" she snapped into the phone as my heart sunk again with worry.

"Ali, have you talked to Bella tonight? I fell asleep on the couch earlier and when I woke up, she was gone. Her keys and shoes are gone, but her car is here. She left a note saying she was going to the store, but the store she would have gone to closed almost four hours ago… I need help Alice," I said in a panicked tone. Alice was silent as she no doubt tried to think of an explanation for Bella's absence.

"Edward, calm down. It's not unlike Bella to go to the store for things at odd hours of the evening," said Alice, sounding both calm yet concerned.

"Alice. If she went to the store it was probably hours ago. What if she was hurt or kidnapped? What if she is lying somewhere dying and I'm not with her," I said quickly, my voice cracking out of pure fear. I tried not to think of the things I had mentioned to Alice, but when the words came from my mouth I knew I was going to start crying.

"Have you called the police?" asked Alice, now starting to sound more worried. Alice and Bella had been friends for so long; even Alice knew this wasn't standard Bella behavior, no matter how much we wanted to think that she had headed to the store for a pint of ice cream. I could hear her talking to Jasper in the background and he seemed just as worried as I was.

"I called on my way back to the apartment. I drove around for a bit hoping to find her with no luck. The cops said they couldn't do anything unless she had been missing for twenty four hours," I explained to her in frustration. "My next plan of attack is to call all the hospitals."

"Jasper and I are on our way over. Sit tight for a few minutes and we'll do that for you okay. If her cell phone is there, I think you should check her previous calls and maybe called Rosalie or Emmett. She and Rosalie spent a lot of time together today; perhaps she can give you some insight. Stay put Edward," chastised Alice as she quickly hung up the phone and I ran through the apartment again. I couldn't think of anywhere else she could be.

I was pacing nervously around the room when Alice and Jasper finally showed up at quarter after two. "Any word man?" asked Jasper as I shook my head from side to side and enveloped myself in a hug from my baby sister.

"Jasper's gonna go into the office and start calling all the area hospitals to see if Bella has been admitted okay?" asked Alice as I simply nodded my head and she led me over to the couch. I saw Jasper leave the room from the corner of my eye as Alice helped me sit down and then grabbed the phone beside her to call Rosalie.

They chatted for a few moments and I could hear the paranoia dripping off of Rosalie's voice on the other end of the phone, even though Alice had it held tightly to her ear. As I bent my head forward, my face now resting in my hands, I felt Alice's hands on my back, rubbing small soothing circles in an attempt to comfort me. I wanted to push her away and treat her harshly; like she had treated Bella and I in the early days of our relationship, but I didn't have the energy. I wanted to crawl up inside of myself until Bella walked through the door, mumbling about how she walked to twenty different stores in an attempt to find a pint of 'Phish Food'.

I somehow managed to fall asleep even though it was the last thing I wanted to do. My uneasy dreams were more like nightmares filled with disturbing images of Bella alone in the dark. In some she was walking, calling my name and in others she was simply standing still, unsure of her surroundings or of me. When I finally awoke, I jolted forward and looked at Alice in frustration for letting me sleep in the first place. I immediately felt empty and my body ached for her.

"Jasper called them all and they haven't had a Bella or Isabella Swan admitted within the past twenty four hours. Did you want me to call mom and dad?" asked Alice nervously as I turned my head around to the clock on the microwave again. It was almost six in the morning and Bella had been gone almost nine hours, if my math was right about when she left. I nodded my head as I wandered into the bathroom, her eyes on me the entire time.

When I wandered out a few minutes later, Alice was still on the phone with them and Jasper was greeting Emmett at the door. "Dude," was all Emmett managed to say before I threw myself down in one of the chairs in the living room, listening as Alice spoke to my dad.

"He's on duty at the hospital, so he's going to look into possible accidents and stuff from last night," said Alice reluctantly as she glanced between jasper and Emmett and then back to me. "Do you want something to drink or eat? Rosalie is coming over later, once she has found someone to watch Logan."

"No Alice…" I said bitterly towards her as I stood from my seat, my pulse positively racing. "I don't want anything to fucking eat. I want my god damn girlfriend back." I grabbed a vase from the mantel and tossed it against the wall, watching it shatter into a million pieces. That vase was like a metaphor for my fucking life if she was gone, I thought to myself angrily. My knees began to buckle as I slipped to the floor, glass from the vase digging into my knees and hands as I unsuccessfully tried to steady myself.

"Jesus Christ," I heard Emmett mutter as I heard him run to my side and felt his hands slip under my arms as he pulled me up and put me on the nearest chair. Alice was at my side moments later, cleaning up the glass and blood that was now covering my hands with a wet washcloth. I began sobbing quietly as Alice gingerly touched my hands, the blood subsiding somewhat.

"Can I make a suggestion?" said Alice once she had finished washing my hands and knees. She had tea towels wrapped around each of my hands, which took the brunt of the damage. I looked up at her, tears still streaming down my face and simply nodded. "I think you should call Charlie."

"Alice, I've never even met Charlie," I said succinctly as I wiped my tears from my face with my tea towel covered hands.

"Just fucking call him Edward. He's programmed in Bella's phone, which has got to be around here somewhere. He's a cop for christ sakes. If the Seattle police won't do anything to help you, perhaps Charlie can throw some of his weight around and get some information for you," said Emmett as he threw himself on the couch beside me, clearly as frustrated as me at the situation. Jasper was cleaning the glass from the floor quietly and I shot him an apologetic glance. He nodded his head, as though to tell me not to worry about it, before he went back to sweeping.

Alice was back at my side a moment later, thrusting the phone in my face as I searched through the directory and found Charlie's number. I hit send and waited impatiently for him to pick up.

"Bella, what are you doing up so early?" he asked casually into the phone. His voice was tired and gruff, but that was to be expected of a veteran of any police force.

"Umm… this is Edward Cullen. I'm Bella's boyfriend," I said quietly as Alice kneeled beside me, urging me on. "Bella probably hasn't mentioned me because I know you guys don't talk very often, but I could desperately use your help Chief Swan."

The phone was silent for a few moments before I heard some shifting in the background. I was about to speak again, but Charlie spoke before I could get the chance.

"She mentioned you in passing last time we spoke, although she did mention you guys were no longer together," said Charlie flatly as I ran my hands through my hair before gripping my fists tightly on my knees. I watched my knuckles turn white as I wished there was something closer to me than my sister to throw across the room in frustration.

"Yeah well, we had a short break up, but we've been back together for several months now. Anyways, Chief Swan, Bella went out for an errand last night and never returned. It's been almost ten hours now and I contacted the Seattle P.D. but they say I can't report her missing until it's been twenty four hours and I thought since you were a Police Officer you could be of some assistance," I said formally. I hated that I had to talk to Bella's father this way; that I had to break the news to him that she was missing, but it was unavoidable.

"Did you just say she was missing?" stuttered Charlie quietly. I could hear his voice cracking on the other end of the phone. I knew that whatever issues he and Bella might have had in the past certainly didn't mean he didn't love her. That was clear the moment I began talking to him.

"Yes sir," I replied anxiously. There were several more moments of silence before Charlie spoke again.

"I'll be in Seattle within the next three hours. I have a contact at the southwest precinct, not far from her apartment that I will call on the way. Keep me posted with what you find out Edward… and thank you for calling." Charlie was about to hang up the phone when I called out to him again.

"Oh, Chief Swan. Bella doesn't live at her place anymore. She lives with me, directly across the street on the fifth floor. She moved in yesterday sir. She left a note saying she was going to the store…" I started to say as my voice began to fracture and tears started to fall again. Alice snatched the phone from my ear and began to talk to Charlie, although I couldn't hear any of the words being said.

Once Alice was off the phone, the pacing began again, except this time I was joined by both Emmett and Jasper. Alice had taken it upon herself to cook breakfast for us, but immediately began complaining that we had no eggs or milk, so she sent Jasper down to Einstein Bagels on the corner to get us something to eat, even though I had no appetite whatsoever.

The moment he came back in the apartment, I was practically pulling my hair out with worry. I felt helpless sitting here, unable to do anything, while god knows what was happening to Bella. I stood up and grabbed my car keys as Alice grabbed my arm and looked at me in disappointment. "I can't sit here doing nothing Alice. I'm just going to go for a drive around the neighborhood, maybe see if someone saw anything," I said matter of factly.

"I'll go with you," piped up Emmett as he shoved the last bite of his cheese bagel into his mouth and grabbed another one for the road. I wasn't exactly feeling up to company, but I could tell that either he came with me or I had to stay put and there was no way I could stay in our apartment any longer. Just as I was about to relent to Emmett, Alice's cell phone rang and she stepped into the bedroom to take it.

"Edward, wait," called Alice as I opened the front door, Emmett close behind me, both of us eager to leave. "Dad wants to talk to you," she added as she thrust her cell phone at me and turned to hug Jasper. This already didn't look good.

"Edward, I think I've found her," said my father quietly as my heart practically leapt from my chest. I opened my mouth to speak but Carlisle wasn't finished. "I was trying to see if she had been admitted to the hospital last night and Sue down on admitting told me about a Jane Doe that was the victim of a hit and run last night. She was brought it around ten thirty. I went to see her and even though she's unconscious and in very rough shape down at the ICU, I think its Bella."

I'm sure there were other words that came from my father's mouth, but I didn't hear them. I tossed Alice's phone on the counter and raced out of the apartment with Emmett close to my heels as Alice called out for us. "Where are you going?"

"Southwest Hospital. Dad found her," I screamed in response as I ran as fast as my legs could carry me down to my car. I whipped open the driver's side door, practically pulling it all its hinges as I jumped in the front seat and Emmett eased himself into the passenger side of the car. We raced through the streets of Seattle as Emmett tried to get me to snap back to reality.

"Dad said it might be her, but what if it's not Edward?" asked Emmett as we sat at a stop light a mere two blocks from the hospital.

"That's not fucking funny Emmett. I'll cross that bridge when we get there, now call Alice on my cell and have her call Charlie," I said angrily as I tossed my cell phone to him and he glared back at me.

"You should just be prepared for whatever you see Edward. She might not be Bella," he said calmly as he held the phone to his ear and began talking to Alice. His words kept ringing in my ears and I shuddered as I thought that he might be right. She might not be my Bella.


	33. Love Will Come Through

**A/N: Okay, this might be a long note but here goes. Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing in the past little while. All the reviews have made my day, even the ones where people complain about cliffhangers. I'm not one for using them, but I had too. For the newbies, I am someone who loves a good 'Happily Ever After', so don't expect me to break them up in the long run. I hated Romeo and Juliet because they died. How stupid was that??**

**Huge hugs and shoutouts to: MaggieMay14 (awesome beta and Robobbessed just like me), Lovebuggkiss (go read her shit people), flightlessbird11(ditto for her stories), rms33, bacmel79, addictedtotwilight79, weasleyweakness, lysvia, mmwalker, melferd, glo4twlight and Meghan Bailey. I love you guys and your constant reviews make me smile! **

**MaggieMay14 gave a little shoutout to my new story in her review: "And for those of you who read the other reviews, I have to say you are all going to love the new story I got a sneek peek and it's great! So you better be good! :P tee hee" It will be posted soon, I hope. Perhaps this weekend, with two possibly three chapters.**

**I don't own Twilight but I do have some very tasty Canada Day Cupcakes. RMS33 where are my cookies??**

**BPOV**

There was a flash of bright lights and then there was nothing.

I heard a series of voices trying to talk to me, but I didn't understand a word that came from their mouths. I felt my weight being lifted from the cold, damp ground and more words I couldn't understand. My brain was screaming _'What the hell is going on here'_ but no words were being spoken from my mouth. Before I knew it, the sirens that had been ringing in the back of my subconscious were gone. So were all my other thoughts as I drifted away.

_I was suddenly in an ice cold lake, swimming, with Edward by my side. "I missed you," he uttered to me as I simply smiled at him and tried to swim closer. Each movement I made kept him at a distance which I was entirely too uncomfortable with._

"_Why aren't you swimming to me?" I called out as he moved farther away. His beautiful smile subsided and I felt very uneasy as I watched him intently._

"_It's you who's not coming to me Bella," Edward responded as he suddenly dipped beneath the surface of the water and disappeared. I swam towards where I saw him last, desperate to find him, but he was gone. I tried to dive beneath the dark water, but all I saw was black. Edward was gone._

I suddenly awoke with a start and realized I was lying in a bed, tubes sticking out of my arms and all along my face. As I clawed at them, a pale looking woman in her late fifties wandered over and checked a few things before nodding at me.

"I see we've woken up," she said sweetly as she seemed to examine my face for something.

"Is Edward here? Can I see Edward?" I pleaded as she furrowed her brow and looked at me curiously. She messed with something at the side of my bed and before I knew it, I was asleep again.

"_Bella, talk to me," said the angelic voice from beside me._

"_I am talking to you silly," I replied sweetly as I tried to move closer to the voice, but I realized I was enveloped in darkness. "Where are you?" I called out in frustration as I continued to walk through the darkness to find him._

"_Edward," I called out loudly. Suddenly, I was falling into the darkness, calling his name, but unable to hear anything further. My hands clawed at the black that surrounded me, but there was nothing to grab onto. Nothing to save me._

I don't know how long I was out of it, but it must have been a while because when I woke up, there was a different nurse in the room with me. I blinked my eyes several times as I adjusted to the bright fluorescent lights. It must have been daytime now because there was sunlight streaming in from the side of my hideous beige curtains, casting beautiful light onto the pale peach colored walls.

"How are you feeling miss?" asked the cute looking blonde who was reading a few things off my chart. She walked about me silently as she checked some sort of monitor beside my bed and did a check of my blood pressure. It was moments like this that made me wish I had seen more ER, because all I knew of hospitals right now was that my boyfriend's father worked at one and people liked to yell the word 'STAT' a lot.

"I ache like crazy," I said as I heard my voice and it sounded different, raspy perhaps, I wasn't quite sure.

"You've had a rough night. Doctor Thomas will be in a bit later to check on you. It was touch and go for a while when you came in, then again internal bleeding tends to do that to a person. Everything seems to be well now. A few broken ribs, some cuts and bruises on your face and of course the bleeding, but everything will heal in time." Dolores, as her name tag stated, seemed sweet enough as she offered me a drink of water and continued to talk to me genuinely about my injuries. "At least you didn't have amnesia or something. People always say that stuff only happens in soap operas, but believe me, it happens more than you think."

"What happened?" I asked quietly, trying to save my voice which still sounded unlike me. Dolores was calm and patient as told me what she knew about my accident.

I had been crossing the street in front of a grocery store and gotten hit by a drunk driver who jumped the curb. He drove away from the scene, but was found a few miles down the road in a bar having yet another drink. His blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit and it turned out, he was driving without a license. I was rushed in shortly after ten at night and it was now seven in the morning, the next day.

"It's Sunday? Where is everyone?" I asked curiously she looked at me with an odd expression.

"There is no one miss. Did you want me to call someone?" I stopped for a moment as I pondered her words. Why had no one come for me? Did they all sleep through the call that I had been in a tragic accident that appeared to have left me in the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital? Had no one thought to call them? What if they only person they called was Charlie? I was certain he was still listed as the next of kin on my medical history.

"I want Edward Cullen," I said forcefully. "He's the son of Dr. Carlisle Cullen." I noticed her face light up in recognition as she smiled easily and sat down beside my bed.

"Dr. Cullen is the cardiologist here. Do you know him?" asked Dolores sweetly as I felt her hands run across my face. She removed a couple of bandages and my face suddenly ached more than it had a few moments ago.

"He's the father of my boyfriend," I said succinctly as I tried to reach up to touch my face but she moved my hands away, a little too vigorously I might add. "What is wrong with my face?"

"You had some glass cuts, they were superficial really, but there is a lot of bruising and swelling. Dr. Cullen was in here an hour ago, I don't think he even knew who you were," she said calmly. "Are you going to tell me your name, because you were brought in here as a Jane Doe."

"My name? I'm Isabella Swan."

**EPOV**

I ran into the emergency room entrance and immediately went to the admissions desk, where Sue was standing in her bright pink scrubs with small yellow and white daises on them. They were atrocious, and had I been in here to visit my father, I definitely would have told her so. "Edward, I see your father called you," she said genuinely as I gripped the edge of the desk. I looked up at the clock and noticed it was already pushing seven in the morning. I couldn't take any more of this not knowing.

"Where is she? My father said she was here," I said as I tried to remain calm. Emmett caught up to me and gripped my shoulder, trying to be the voice of reason.

"Edward, it might not be her, so relax alright?" he said as I shook my body and his hand fell from me.

"I'll take you boys down there, but like your brother said, we're not sure it's her Edward. She woke up a few hours ago, but only for a moment." I followed Sue down the hall my hands absolutely shaking with nervousness. I was terrified it would be her, lying broken in the hospital bed, but I was even more terrified it wasn't her at all and we had to keep looking. We turned a corner and my nerves started to get the best of me and I stopped.

"What's wrong?" asked Emmett as he moved in front of me. I saw Sue point into a room just a few feet from where I was standing.

"What if it's not her? What the fuck will I do?" I said, my voice dripping with fear.

"What if it is her and you are standing here like a fool. She needs you." I gave Emmett a tentative hug and walked nervously towards the room. I stood outside the door for a moment, Emmett against the wall on the other side of the hall. He was giving me a few moments alone before joining us, when I finally got up the nerve to get into the room.

I listened carefully to the conversation going on in the room and my heart practically soared when I heard the voice of my angel.

"My name? I'm Isabella Swan," she said tentatively as I gave Emmett the thumbs up and slowly walked into the room. She hadn't noticed me at first, but I immediately felt my face grow into the biggest grin I had ever worn. My heart was breaking inside though as I saw her all bruised and bandaged. Her face looked to be three different shades of black and blue and I could feel my breathing quicken as I looked at her. The nurse at her side appeared to be changing some of the dressings on her face which covered some cuts.

"Bella," I said meekly as I moved closer and she whipped her head around, probably too quickly considering the massive trauma she just endured. She broke out in the most beautiful smile I had ever seen, even though she then touched her cheeks lightly, the smile clearly tugging on her stitches. "You are a sight for sore eyes baby. No more late night trips to the store without me," I said sweetly as I sat on the chair beside her bed, pulling it as close to her as possible and grabbing her hand in mine.

"Where have you been?" she asked genuinely as tears began to fall from her tired looking eyes. I really didn't want to see her cry, especially since her salty tears would probably be burning her uncovered cuts.

"I can't come and find you if they don't know who you are Bella. You left your wallet at home and you had no I.D. on you. Dad was in earlier and said your face was so swollen he wasn't even sure it was you," I replied quietly. I didn't want to upset her any further than I already had, although I was certain they were tears of joy not sadness. I used my hand to try to wipe some of the tears away but Bella flinched slightly because of the pain. "We spent most of the night trying to find you. I was about to just drive around the city when Dad called and let us know you might be here."

"Yeah, Nurse Ratchet over here," she started to say as she motioned to Dolores who was laughing easily at her comment, "filled me in on what happened, although I don't remember much. I recall bright lights when I got out of the store and that was it."

I watched intently as the nurse proceeded to continue to replace her dressings and every time she removed one, I wanted to gasp at what was revealed underneath. The narrow cuts, the stitches, the bruising and swelling, all of it made me want to run into the bathroom and throw up. If only I had eaten something in the past twenty hours, that might have been possible. It was a few minutes after the nurse had finished that my father and Emmett strolled into the room, smiles radiating from their faces.

"You gave us all a scare young lady," laughed Carlisle as he grabbed the chart from the end of Bella's bed and began to go through her records. "You appear to be healing very well. Dr. Thomas is an excellent doctor, so you really lucked out there."

"Thanks," Bella muttered quietly under her breath.

"I called the rest of the gang and they'll probably be over within the hour. Alice was muttering something about flowers, candy and pajamas but I really wasn't paying too much attention," admitted Emmett as he stared at Bella, disturbed by her appearance. She tried her best to smile at him, but it was still pretty difficult for her. Thankfully, Emmett didn't push the issue and simply smiled back at her.

"The swelling has gone down considerably, so that is a great sign. This morning you looked a bit like a chipmunk with a mouthful of nuts," said Carlisle with a chuckle, although the only person who laughed was him. "Anyways, I have some patients of my own to attend to. I also need to call Esme and let her know that you are doing well. I'll come back to check on you before I leave at the end of my shift, okay?"

Bella simply nodded her head slowly and tightened her grip on my hand. "I'm not going anywhere until you are discharged," I said firmly as Emmett looked at me with what could only be described as pity. "You, big brother, are going to do me a favor," I said with a nervous grin as I leaned forward and kissed Bella's forehead.

"What? Do you want something to eat?" asked Emmett lamely after he had just proceeded to get himself comfortable in some plastic covered armchair in the corner of the room.

"No. When Rosalie gets here, you are going to tell her you love her. No more of this 'dating other people' bullshit. Life is too short for that crap. How would you feel if it was Rosie lying here and you hadn't told her how you feel?" I asked as Emmett sat forward in the seat, his hands now rubbing his temples. I heard him quietly mutter 'fine' under his breath and I noticed Bella breathe a sigh of relief.

"So, it took me almost dying to get Emmett and Rosalie to smarten up, I'm glad I could be of service," she laughed gently, which clearly pained her as well. Bella's doctor ended up coming into the room ten minutes later and gave us the latest update on her condition. The surgery went well, all internal bleeding was taken care of and Dr. Dane, their plastic surgeon, had done an excellent job on her facial lacerations. All she really needed now was time to heal.

"When do I get to go home?" asked Bella tentatively. It was as though she was reading my mind because I was about to ask the same question. I wanted to get her home and take care of her. I told Emmett I was taking a week off of work, which he had no problem with, and I would dote on her the entire time she was recuperating. I would probably drive her nuts, but I didn't give a shit.

"Probably not for a day or two. We want to continue to monitor your progress and I know Dr. Dane will want to take a look at your stitches when he gets in later today." We both nodded our heads in agreement of his words and just as he was about to walk from the room, Alice, Jasper and Rosalie ran in, completely breathless. Alice was clutching a plant while Rosalie had a large bouquet of helium balloons in her hands, all of which said 'Get Well Soon'.

As soon as I noticed Rosalie, I glanced over at Emmett who simply nodded his head. I wasn't sure what the hell he was going to do, as long as he did it. I figured he would take her down the hall and talk to her, but that didn't happen. Instead, we all watched intently as he suddenly grabbed Rosalie at the waist and pulled her down onto his lap. He was still seated in the brown plastic covered chair in the corner of the room and looked nervous as hell.

"What's going on?" I heard Alice whisper to Bella, who simply raised her hand to her, as though to let her know to wait a moment.

"Rosalie Hale, I am so madly in love with you," started Emmett as we all watched Rosalie's mouth drop open. When I looked, Alice and Bella had the same expression as Rosalie, which made me chuckle for a moment. "I have been in love with you since the seventh grade when you stole my strawberry fruit roll up. If it had been any other person stealing my food, I would have hunted them down, but I just watched you eat it and smiled like a fucking idiot the whole time."

"Emmett, what on earth are you doing?" stammered Rosalie as she tried to fight against his hands and stand up from his lap. It wasn't working and I heard Jasper snicker in the background as Rosalie shot him a nasty glare.

"I am doing what I should have done like six years ago when you left. Edward and Bella have reminded me that life is too short for all the petty little crap, like fake dates with nonexistent people," Emmett said with a grin as Rosalie stared right at Bella.

"You told him?" she said angrily as Bella simply shrugged her shoulders and gave a tentative grin.

"No, I told him," said Bella as she pointed to me. "Thankfully, he listens when I talk to him and he told Emmett."

Rosalie was looking at Bella as though she wanted to kill her. Thank god, she was in a hospital and that would never happen.

"Rosie… I want you, always you. Forever with you. I want to get married one day and have more perfect kids like Logan. Even Logan wants us together," sighed Emmett as everyone in the room began nodding their heads.

"Everyone knows?" she said incredulously.

"Logan recruited us all ages ago to try and help get you guys back together. I had a good plan too, romantic candlelight dinner, soft music, booze… all the things needed for a proper reconciliation," laughed Alice as I glared at her. "I suppose Bella's idea worked too. Get hit by a car and force you guys to admit your feelings. Good going there Bells."

"Thanks, it was all part of my genius plan. I even had Logan driving the car, so don't get mad at him if he's extra tired tonight. He was out late last night," Bella said as I sighed and shook my head. At least her sarcastic sense of humor didn't go away.

**BPOV**

My sense of humor certainly didn't take a beating in the car accident like my body had, but I was slightly embarrassed by the efforts put in by Alice and Edward to make me feel better. I was wheeled out of the room around ten in the morning to have a test done, and followed and paced outside of the room while it was being done.

When they rolled me back in, Edward at my side still clutching my hand, I was surprised by the voice I heard. "Edward right?" said my father as I watched him extend his hand out to Edward, who took it easily in his and began to shake it vigorously. They had met briefly during Christmas last year, but they were hardly on friendly terms at the time.

"It's nice to meet you again sir," said Edward in response as he pulled away to let the orderly's put my bed back in place. "I wish it was under different circumstances though."

"Dad, what are you doing here?" I asked nervously. It had been so long since I had spoken to my father, I was surprised to see him here. He was dressed in his uniform and looked a bit awkward around me as he glanced at my face and all of my bandages.

"Edward called this morning to let me know you were missing. I high tailed it over here and was getting help from Trent down at the Southwest Precinct when Emmett called to let me know you had been found," said Charlie anxiously. "You really scared the hell out of us Bells."

"Yeah, I've been hearing that a lot lately," I said stoically as I looked up at Edward who simply shrugged his shoulders. "Edward, do you think you can head down to the cafeteria and get me something to eat?" I asked casually. I really wanted a few moment alone with my dad and thankfully, Edward took the hint and simply smiled at me as he nodded his head and walked out the door.

Charlie grabbed the chair beside the bed, which had been Edward's for the past four hours, and when I looked at him, he actually seemed heartbroken. "He seems like a good man," said Charlie genuinely as he pointed out the door towards Edward.

"He is dad. You would love him. He's smart, determined, very successful and he treats me like gold. I just moved in with him actually," I said quietly, though my father didn't look shocked.

"Yeah, he mentioned that this morning at six o'clock when he called me," said Charlie as I looked closer at him and noticed a remorseful look cross his face. "Of course, I wish you had been the one to tell me, but I haven't exactly been father of the year material, so I won't blame you."

I lay in my bed for the next five minutes absolutely shocked as my father proceeded to apologize for virtually every little mistake he had made in the past several years. It was like he created his own 'Karma List' and was on 'My Name is Earl'. "I'm most sorry about not believing you about Jacob. Billy and I got into a fight about it all a few months back and I think Billy might have even tried to smack some sense into Jacob. Apparently it had been going on for a while and we just never saw it. I'm sorry sweetie," said Charlie as he leaned over and gave me a tentative hug.

"I forgive you for trying to see the best in people, even though they are clearly womanizing assholes," I said with a smile as my father frowned at me for swearing. Edward was back in the room within ten minutes, clutching a sad looking blueberry muffin and an apple juice. He sat with my Dad and me as we talked about everything he had missed in the past little while. Charlie jumped from his seat in excitement when I told him I was going to be a published author. Charlie and I may have had our differences, but he was always very supportive of my dreams and goals.

When Charlie disappeared, it was almost five in the evening. Carlisle and Esme came in last, with some takeout food from a nearby Italian joint. Everyone had made themselves scarce when Charlie arrived, but they were back shortly after lunch time to tell me about all the events of the morning. Emmett and Rosalie were the last leave shortly before visiting hours ended. They thanked Edward and I for being so manipulative in our attempts to reunite them and Edward made them promise to call their next child Isabella, if it was a girl, which made me blush while everyone else laughed.

"Visiting hours are over. Unless you are her husband or something, you will have to leave," said the gruff nurse who had been there when I awoke the first time.

"Cindy, is it?" said Edward as he peered down at her nametag and then back at her face.

"Yes, now if you would kindly leave for the evening, it would be greatly appreciated. Ms. Swan needs her rest and we have some additional tests to run on her," said Cindy as she picked up my chart for a moment before wandering to the side of my bed and adjusting my dosage of something, I had no idea what.

"I'm not going anywhere. Dr. Carlisle Cullen should have had it approved that I was able to stay with her overnight, and I'm not adverse to calling him right now and letting him chew you out over such a small issue," said Edward forcefully as he glared at her, practically shooting daggers with his eyes.

"Throwing the family name around won't get you far Mr. Cullen," said the nurse with a frown as she turned on her heel to walk away.

"If it makes you feel any better, she will be married to me one day, does that help?" Edward called out to her as she walked away, fuming.

Edward was furious with her for trying to force him to leave and I honestly couldn't blame him. I didn't want him to leave either. Hell, every time I needed to go to the bathroom, he was there with me, holding my gown closed and helping me in. He even almost stayed in once, but I assured him I could pee all by myself, so he simply stepped outside the door and talked to me about the weather while I did my business.

The nurse finally relented and stormed out of the room in sheer frustration. "I bet she'll switch rooms with someone else," laughed Edward as I felt his hand move a few stray hairs from my face and tuck them behind my ear. "You look so beautiful. I don't think I was able to tell you that enough today."

"I don't look beautiful, I look like one of those freak bad guys from Scooby Doo. I have weird bandages all over my face, and I feel like crap," I said firmly as Edward began to stroke the side of my face lovingly. Edward didn't respond to my self depreciating humor, instead he shoved me over on the bed slightly and climbed in beside me. I immediately rested my head on his shoulder as I felt his arm wrap around mine, holding me close to him. "I'm sorry," I muttered as tears started to fall down my face again. "I never should have left the apartment alone."

"I'm just happy we found you Bella. I don't know what I would do without you," he said sweetly as I felt his lips against the top of my head. I honestly didn't know what I would do without him either.

**A/N: I think my funniest review came from Ana V, who I wish I had fan fic account so I could respond to her: "SHUT THE FUCK UP! i bet it was jacob that asshole! please more im having a freaking heart attack! i need more now please!" You had me and my beta in stitches over that one! Classic! It's not Jacob. Just some random SOB drunk driver. It's not Lauren dressed like a man either!**


	34. Hand Made Cards

**A/N: This is for all those people pressuring me to post a Cabin Fever Chapter. Lysvia (my favorite crazy pregnant chick) and the rest of you… you know who you are *evil glare***

**I'd like think this chapter makes up for the fact that I haven't been able to update it for a few days and probably won't be able to again for another few days. Damned Real Life crap.**

**I'm on twitter... *still cursing Lovebuggkiss* come join the fun. A lot of FF authors are on there, at least the ones I like. LOL. coldplaywhore is my user name. You are also welcome to PM me or find me on googletalk... as coldplaywhore yet again. Inventive I know. I'm too busy shoving my creative juices into these damn stories.**

**Anywhoo, enjoy the chapter and as always, I don't own twilight, I do have a two year old who has taken to calling me Lynn – my real name btw- instead of Mommy. Lil' bitch.**

**BPOV**

"Are you comfortable? Is there something else you want me to get for you?" asked Edward intensely as he tried to prop another pillow behind my back. I've been home for only three days and this shit was already getting beyond annoying. My ribs were healing better than expected and the cuts and scrapes on my face looked a million times better in my opinion. Of course, I don't think Edward will be happy until I am one hundred percent healthy and back to my original condition when he fell asleep on the couch almost a week ago. I just wanted him to stop hovering.

"I'm fine, really Edward. Didn't Emmett say he needed a bit of help at the office today?" I hinted. I had actually called Emmett and begged him to do anything he could to get Edward out of the office and he had promised to do what he could to help.

"Yeah, but I'm not leaving until Rosalie and Alice get here. I want someone with you at all times," sighed Edward as he ran to grab his laptop from the office. He laid it on the table and looked at me with surprise.

"What? Did you think I would sneak out in the two seconds you left me alone?" I chastised angrily. He frowned at me for a moment before stepping behind the couch to give me a gentle kiss on the head.

"Please don't be like that Bella. I'm just looking out for you. I feel completely to blame for the accident and if me pampering you is driving you nuts, then too bad." Edward ambled towards the door after we heard a quick knock, most likely from Rosalie. He welcomed her in with a big hug and she sat down beside me on the couch. "Don't move the couch too much, it might hurt her ribs."

"You need to calm the fuck down Edward. She broke her ribs, she's not in a full body cast. Even Dr. Thomas said she would do well to get up every now and again,' said Rosalie, noticing my frustration.

"She does get up every now and again… it's called going to the bathroom. I'll be home around five and I'll bring dinner with me, so don't even try to get up and make anything. I'm looking right at you when I say this Bella." Edward grabbed his laptop and walked out of the apartment, closing the door firmly behind him. The moment he was gone, I grabbed the extra pillow and threw it across the room, almost breaking the vase which held the white roses he had delivered for me yesterday. Yet another peace offering.

"Keep that pillow handy for when you want to smother him in his sleep later," joked Rosalie as we leaned back against the couch comfortably together. "Looks like things are going well," she laughed heartily as there was another knock on the door and Alice let herself in.

"How did you get Dr. Doofus to leave anyways?" asked Rosalie curiously as we watched Alice unload three containers of Ben & Jerry's onto the table. She stepped into the kitchen and grabbed each of us a spoon before handing them over to us.

"I had Emmett call him with a fake emergency at work. I promised him you would put out this weekend, orally speaking, if he could do it. I'd never seen him so excited in his entire life," I added as Rosalie frowned at me.

"I don't think we're ready for that yet."

"Okay, as much as I don't want to talk about my brothers' sex lives, which is really difficult to do since my two best friends are now dating my brothers, I feel the need to add something here," sighed Alice as she opened her container of Phish Food and eagerly got a spoonful. "Emmett is the father of your kid; you've already been there and done that… and more with him, so give the dude a blow job. He confessed his feelings to you in front of our entire family for god sakes."

Rosalie opened her own container of Mission to Marizpan and groaned as we discussed our sex lives. "Does anyone find it weird that you two are pressuring me to service my boyfriend orally?"

"Since when are you such a prude Rosalie? Service him orally? I feel like I am talking with my mother. Yes, I think it's weird I'm trying to convince you to suck my brother's dick, but this entire situation is weird, so let's go over it shall we. If I can't talk to you guys about Jasper and I, then I'm screwed." Alice definitely had a point. We decided to no longer think of Emmett and Edward as her brothers and Rosalie slipped into a major rant about not wanting to move to fast now that she and Emmett had finally reconciled.

"You're surprisingly quiet over there Swan," said Alice once Rosalie had finally gotten her rant off of her chest.

"Oh. I didn't mean to be. It was just nice to discuss something other than my sore ribs or my scars," I said as I took another bite of my Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road Ice Cream. "It's nice to not have Edward around driving me to drink, which I am dying to do, but I can't because of the darned meds."

"If it helps at all, Emmett and I are going on a date tonight and I will drink vicariously for you," suggested Rosalie as I laughed and then grabbed my ribs as it was slightly painful. Alice and Rosalie both noticed me wince and immediately turned sour. "Oh Christ, not you too."

"What? We didn't say anything," sighed Alice as she finished off her ice cream first and threw the container into the sink.

"Let's go back to talking about girly things like fellatio or nail polish. I'm tired of thinking about the accident." The girls both nodded their heads and we fell into an easy discussion about what Jasper loved about sex. I was surprised to hear some of the things he enjoyed and even found myself laughing a few times as Alice worked desperately to duplicate his 'O' face as she called it.

"You've seen 'Office Space' Bella… the 'O' face is from that movie," Rosalie reminded me after I laughed and winced again at the image Alice had given us. "Aren't you going to tell us about Edward?"

"What did you want to know? You need to know how he likes his cock sucked?" I asked with a nervous laugh as Rosalie shook her head eagerly. "He enjoys when I use my teeth, so let's leave it at that."

"Oh you're no fun Bella. It's like that car that hit you took your sense of humor," stated Alice as I turned towards her with anger on my face, shocked she would say that. "I didn't mean it like that. I just thought we were all opening up and honestly you didn't share much."

"Sorry I disappointed you Alice," I said ruefully as she came to sit beside me on the couch and pulled me into a hug. I winced immediately and pushed her away from me, my ribs now aching more than they had since I got home from the hospital. "Would you guys be horrible disappointed if I went to sleep? I'm really tired," I lied as Alice stood from the couch and began to clean up the ice cream containers and spoons.

"That's fine Bella. I'm sure we can leave you alone for a few hours before Edward gets home. I'm certain he would appreciate the fact that we let you rest," said Rosalie as she gripped her purse and gave me a gentle hug.

"I'm really glad you and Emmett reconciled Rosalie. You guys are made for each other and now Logan can leave us alone about hooking you two up," I said with a slight laugh. "Make sure you bring him over on Sunday." Rosalie nodded her head and slipped from the apartment quietly as Alice stared at me from the kitchen. "What's wrong?"

"Did you want to sleep on the couch or in your bed? I'll go get you a blanket if you want to sleep on the couch, or I can help you to your bed if you want," she offered genuinely, clearly feeling remorseful for hurting me a moment ago.

"I'll be fine Alice. You can head home and show Jasper why he should never have split from you in the first place. Use that tongue technique you told us about today," I added with a wink as she smiled at me happily.

"Have a great rest Bella. I'll call tomorrow before I come back over to visit." Alice wandered from the apartment and I slowly rose from my spot on the couch to lock the door. I glanced around the apartment, unsure of what to do with myself since I wasn't tired in the least. I glanced up at the clock and noticed I was late to take my meds, so I poured myself a glass of water and popped the pills easily, swallowing them down with the cold water.

When I walked into our bedroom, I noticed an unnatural amount of laundry had piled up, so I grabbed some darks and immediately started a load, even though the action of lifting the bucket was slightly painful. I was feeling great for actually doing something around the apartment, even though I knew I would face the wrath of Edward later for it. I went to the office and sat down to check through my emails, of which there were dozens. I had two from Angela, both checking in to see how I was doing since Esme had filled her in on the accident. She was already curious as to whether we were going to postpone the book tour, but that was two months away, so I responded to her not to worry because I would be more than ready to go away in September.

Shortly after I had perused all of my e-mail, I curled up on the couch in my den and slipped into a comfortable sleep. Unfortunately, I slept on my side, which Dr. Thomas said was strictly forbidden, and when Edward came home around five, like he said would, he was furious to find me alone and in pain.

"What the fuck? I am going to kick those girls' asses for leaving you alone," he said with a loud growl as he picked up me up off the couch and took me to our bedroom.

"Leave them out of it, I made them leave Edward," I admitted once he had me lying on the bed on my back. He brought me my medication and a glass of water before finally sitting on the bed and looking at me with disappointment.

"Why would you do that?"

"I wanted some fucking peace and quiet. I haven't managed five minutes to myself since I got hit by a fucking car, so cut me some slack," I yelled at him as he hopped off the bed and stormed out of the room, slamming the door tight behind him. I didn't follow and instead fell back to sleep.

When I woke up several hours later, my stomach was growling and Edward wasn't in bed beside me. I looked at the clock and noticed it was twelve thirty in the morning. I tentatively got out of bed and found him fast sleep on the couch. I didn't want to bother him so I grabbed a few pieces of pizza that was untouched from when he came home and slowly made my way back into the bedroom to watch the 'Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.'

When I woke up the next morning, the ache in my side somewhat subsided, I wandered back into the living room to find Edward gone, and a simple note left on the kitchen counter.

_Gone to spend the weekend with Emmett and Logan_

_-E_

No, I love you. No, I'll miss you. No, You're being a completely stupid fucking bitch. Nothing.

I crinkled the note into a ball and threw it on the floor before I walked back into the bedroom to curl up and cry myself to sleep.

**EPOV**

"I don't fucking get it," I groaned to Emmett as he covered his ears to soften the blow from my yelling.

"I don't get why you are at my place at eight in the morning on a Saturday. Rosalie's asleep in my room and Logan is sleeping in his room, so please try to keep your voice down," chastised Emmett as I gripped the cup of coffee I had brought with me and sat down on his couch.

"I spend the last week trying to make sure she is safe and taken care of, and she flips out at me for being too concerned. Aren't I supposed to be concerned when my girlfriend gets hit by a car?" I asked him as he joined me and took a bite from the glazed donut I had brought him. I actually brought a dozen because I knew that was the only way I was getting into his apartment so early in the morning. Emmett couldn't resist a decent glazed donut.

"Yes Edward, you are supposed to be concerned, but are you sure your concern hasn't slipped into something more akin to smothering?" asked Rosalie as she strolled into the room, her hair looking like a birds nest and a huge smile on her face.

"Good Morning to you too Rosie," I retorted as she smiled at the donuts and quickly grabbed one, only to face a growl from Emmett. She took a seat on his lap and fed him a bite of her donut as she stared at me curiously.

"If you are here with us, who's home with Bella?" she asked curiously.

"No one. She wanted to be left alone, so I slept on the couch last night and came over here this morning after going out for a two hour drive. Did you know the ferry to Bainbridge Island doesn't open till five thirty in the morning? I got there way too early to wait for the fucking thing," I explained to them as they both frowned at me.

"I think you should go have a rest on the couch and I will go over and see Bella," said Rosalie as she kissed Emmett's forehead and jumped off of his lap.

"She wants to be alone Rosalie, why do you think she got rid of you yesterday and snapped at me last night. She doesn't want us there," I admitted as I felt myself start to tear up again. I liked to consider myself a very masculine guy, but in the last week I had cried more than I ever had in my entire life. This morning being no exception when I finally left the apartment and hopped into the Volvo for a long drive, which did nothing but make me more frustrated and lonely.

"Okay, I'll call her then," sighed Rosalie as she walked over to the counter and picked up her cell phone. She wandered back into the bedroom after she got Bella on the phone and unfortunately, we couldn't hear any of their conversation.

"Anyways, let me stay here tonight and I'll go back home tomorrow. Hell, I'll even take Logan out for the day so that you and Rosalie can fuck like animals for the entire day. We'll come home around six with dinner… what do you say?" I pleaded with Emmett, but before he could answer, Rosalie came back out of the bedroom fully dressed.

"I'm going to see Bella. Don't wait up." Rosalie grabbed her purse from the counter and left the apartment before either of us had a chance to say anything.

"Great… thanks little brother. You ruin my morning BJ and now my woman just stalked out the door to see your crazy girlfriend. Today is going to suck balls," Emmett commented as Logan strolled out of his room rubbing his eyes.

"What's a BJ?" he asked curiously as I couldn't help but laugh at the audacity of this kid.

"We were talking about BJ's Wholesale Club. It's like Costco, we went there two weeks ago remember?" Emmett asked of Logan as he nodded his head.

"I remember. You bought a year's supply of toilet paper and I got that new truck," he said with a laugh as he turned on the television to the Disney Channel and parked his ass in front of the TV. "How's Auntie Bella?" Logan asked of me as I frowned again.

"She's okay. She's out of the hospital and your mom just went over there to see her," I explained to Logan as Emmett got off the couch to determine some sort of breakfast for Logan.

"Okay Logan, it's either donuts or oatmeal for breakfast," Emmett said coolly as Logan yelled out 'donuts', not even budging from his seat on the floor.

"I think I should make Auntie Bella a card or something to make her feel better," he said genuinely as I tousled his hair for a second and he groaned at me.

"I think that's a wonderful idea Champ," I said genuinely to him as he hopped from his seat and grabbed his crayons and some paper from his bedroom to make her something special.

Ever since the accident, Rosalie and Emmett had gotten increasingly closer and had even admitted to Logan that they were back together. Logan had taken to bringing more of his things over to Emmett's and leaving them there since he liked Em's apartment better than Rosie's and hoped they would move in here. I had to laugh when Emmett explained to me that when they did move in together it would be to a house so that they had more room for future kids. They just got back together and were already planning houses and babies. Meanwhile my girlfriend was plotting ways to get rid of me.

During the middle of the afternoon, Emmett called Rosalie to see when or if she would be coming home and he ended up having to go into the bedroom to deal with the call, which surprised me. When he came back out a little while later, I was shocked by what he had to tell me. "Apparently Bella's pretty mad at you… both for leaving this morning and for being overbearing since the accident."

"What the… frig?" I asked as Logan sat beside me on the couch watching the Transformers movie. Damned inability to curse.

"She wanted to talk to you this morning and you took off leaving behind a note that you were gone for the weekend and she was pretty fucking upset," explained Emmett as Logan glared at him and warned him for using such a bad word. "Anyways, she ended up slipping in the shower this morning when Rosie was there and they are at emergency getting her ribs rebandaged."

"Why didn't you tell me this? This is the exact reason I didn't want her being alone for christ sakes," I yelled as I jumped from the couch and grabbed my keys from the counter.

"Bella doesn't want you there, Edward."

"What do you mean she doesn't want me there?" I retorted angrily as he glared at me furiously.

"She's expecting you to go in there and scream 'I told you so', which is the worst possible thing to do man," said Emmett as he tried unsuccessfully to be the voice of reason.

"Well what the hell am I supposed to do?" I pleaded with him. Emmett looked at me remorsefully and shrugged his shoulders.

"You should just say sorry. That's what momma always tells me to do when I do something wrong," suggested Logan as Emmett and I both looked at him and smiled. "We can go and see Auntie Bella and I can give her the card I made her. Can we go see her daddy?"

"Yes," I replied as Emmett growled at me. "Come on Champ; get your card and those cookies Grandma Esme dropped off yesterday. Even if your dad isn't coming, you and I are going to the hospital."

It only took us five minutes before we were down in Emmett's car and heading to the hospital to see them. Emmett frowned at me the entire time while Logan bounced in the back seat, excited to see Bella. I was a nervous wreck though. I could apologize and she could still flip out at me and next thing I know she's living with Alice and Jasper while avoiding me altogether. This might be one of my worst ideas to date.

"What the hell are you doing here?" stammered Rosalie as she walked out of Bella's room and wandered towards the three of us.

"Hi Momma," exclaimed Logan as he hugged her legs tightly and she scowled at me.

"I couldn't help it. I told him not to come and he was coming with or without me. Since I can barely stay away from you, I had to come," said Emmett sweetly to Rosalie as he kissed her temple and she continued glaring at me angrily.

"She really doesn't want to see you Edward."

"That's fine. Logan is going to see her anyways, not me. Not yet anyways," I said with a grin as I handed him the pieces of paper and the container of cookies and he strolled into Bella's room, leaving the door open a crack so I could hear him. I owed him two trips to see the Mariners if this plan worked as well as I hoped it would. Rosalie and Emmett headed down the cafeteria for a snack as I listened at her door intently.

"Logan… it's so nice to see you, _boyfriend_," she said happily as I heard him pull a chair to her bedside.

"Are you okay Auntie Bella?"

"Yeah bud, I just hit my head and hurt my ribs again. The doctors just want to keep an eye on me, so I get to stay here tonight. It's like my own little fort in here," she explained to him genuinely so that he could understand her.

"Uncle Edward and I made you these cards and Grandma Esme dropped off some cookies for you," he said enthusiastically as I heard the lid of the Tupperware container pop open and she smelled the cookies.

"Thanks boyfriend, that was really sweet of you," she replied.

"Can you read my card first?" asked Logan as I heard the papers shuffle. "Mine has the smiling flower on the front." There was silence for a few moments as Bella obviously read Logan's card which simply wished her a speedy recovery.

"Thanks so much for the card Logan. You are certainly a talented artist," she told him politely as I heard him urge her to read my card next. "I think I'll wait for a while to read this one."

"No… you have to read it now. Uncle Edward is outside waiting to hear you read it," Logan revealed as I heard him slap his hand over his mouth. "Oops, I wasn't supposed to tell you that. Do I still get to go see the Mariner's Uncle Edward?"

I stepped into the room and I could sense Bella immediately tense when she saw me. "Yeah Champ, I'll still take you to see the Mariners. I think the deal was that you brought them in here, not that you actually got her to read it."

"Thanks," he said with a grin as I gave him a quick hug and turned to Bella.

"How are you doing? Other than that god awful hospital gown, you look good," I said casually as she frowned at me slightly.

"I'm fine. I'm glad Logan is here so I can't give you the proper beat down you deserve for leaving me this morning," she said with a sad frown as I tucked an errant hair behind her ear.

"I'll forever be sorry for leaving you this morning, just like I'm always going to be sorry for falling asleep last weekend," I said glumly as she smacked me on the arm forcefully.

"The accident wasn't your fault Edward, so stop blaming yourself so we can get past this. If you keep insisting on blaming yourself, I'm going to seriously consider taking a break from us," she said reluctantly as I noticed a tear slip from her eyes.

"I'm sorry. Can you please read the card?"

"I don't really want to read it Edward. I just want to go to sleep but they won't let me because they are worried about a damned concussion," she called out loudly, as though she was yelling at one of the people at the nurses' station outside her door.

"Auntie Bella… please read the card. Uncle Edward spent a long time working on it with me this morning," begged Logan as I wrapped my arm around his shoulder.

"Are you really gonna deny this face?" I asked as I squeezed Logan's cheeks and he strained to get away from my assault. Bella let out a small laugh, followed by a grimace and finally nodded her head.

She was silent as she flipped open the card and I dropped down to my knee and waited for her to look at me. She looked up, expecting to see me there and then had to look down where I was waiting as I held her hand. "I'm so sorry for not listening to you and even sorrier for leaving you this morning, but I honestly can't imagine ever wanting to leave your side again. I know you wanted to wait, but I don't. Will you marry me Isabella Swan?"

"Say yes," whispered Logan to Bella as tears formed in her eyes and she nodded her head quickly and my breathe caught.

"Did you just say yes?" I asked, suddenly angry that I hadn't bought a ring yet. Then again, I wasn't exactly planning on proposing today or this year.

"Yes."

**A/N: Aren't you glad I didn't leave it as a cliffie three sentences earlier?**


	35. Fireworks

**A/N: I hope this note won't be too long, but that's the way shit happens sometimes. Anywhoo, a big thanks to all my super supportive readers. I got over 100 reviews the last chapter, which was huge for me! I hope we do just as well with this chapter *hint hint***

**I have over 700 people on alert for this story and I just want to say… why the hell aren't you people checking out my new story "Love Will Come Through"?... get on it. Read it. Review it. It's awesome according to everyone who has alerted it and I love all 170 of you. It's got a heck of a lot more smut that this story, so if you like the lemons… visit Love Will Come Through.**

**I also wanted to make a quick fic rec. One of my lovely Aussie readers AtalantaCerelia has started a story called SelfInflicted which is a E&B story and is fairly decent. It's only 5 chapters in, but she's done a pretty good job so far… so go check it out and review your little hearts out.**

**Anywhoo, onto the usual crap. I don't own twilight, I do however find myself jumping up and down at the recent co-branding of two of my favorite things in the world… Tim Hortons and Cold Stone Creamery. Can I get a hell yeah for Cold Stone? LOL… If only I received my coffee and ice cream from a naked Robert Pattinson (in handcuffs huh MaggieMay14??) then my life would be complete… hmm... handcuffs… I might need to break those out for Love Will Come Through. Hornward would love them.**

**BPOV**

I said yes. What the hell? Even as I sit on the couch with a glass of champagne in my hand about to toast my engagement with Edward, I was still in shock I had said yes.

"I thought I wasn't supposed to drink while on my meds," I asked curiously as Edward raised his eye brows at me, as though I shouldn't be questioning him.

"You've been after me for booze for a week and now that I relent, with permission from your doctor, you get all up my ass about it," laughed Edward with a sneaky grin as he settled beside me on the couch and raised his glass to toast us.

Life had been a whirlwind of activity since I was released from the hospital yesterday afternoon. When Edward brought me home, his parents were waiting for us inside our apartment. Esme was actually making lunch for everyone while Carlisle watched golf on TV, yelling about some horrible putt by Phil Mickelson when we walked in. It certainly didn't take them long to make themselves at home I thought to myself. I wonder if they want to trade houses.

They ended up spending the entire afternoon and as much as I hated to admit it, I was horribly relived when they ended up leaving just before six. I couldn't understand Esme's behavior, which was more excitable and chipper than usual until about ten minutes ago when Edward finally asked me to marry him again, this time with the ring.

I had no words except _incredible_ to describe the ring. Edward had explained to me that it was a cushion cut diamond and had been in his family for generations. I would definitely be visiting Wikipedia later to figure out what a cushion cut was because it looked like an emerald cut to me but fancier. The main diamond was framed by a band of smaller diamonds and several more went down onto the actual band of the platinum ring. If I wore this ring for the next eighty years I would still be in awe. "So, Esme knew yesterday huh?" I asked curiously as Edward nodded his head eagerly.

"Where do you think I got the ring from? I think it was my great grandmothers' on my father's side. Rosalie has had her eye on Esme's grandmothers' ring since the first day Emmett brought her to the house in high school," explained Edward as I smiled and lifted my hand again to admire my ring.

"You haven't said much since we got engaged you know," said Edward sounding slightly exasperated as I turned and laughed at him. He scowled at me for a moment before I finally managed to compose myself.

"How's this… I'm still in shock that we are engaged less than eight months after finally meeting. I'm even more surprised that you want to marry me considering my deplorable mood swings since the accident and I honestly think the ring is a bit much, but I love it," I exclaimed happily, practically bouncing on the couch. He laughed at me as we finally clinked our glasses together and took a drink of our champagne.

"Did you want to set a date?" he inquired curiously as he reached his hand out and began twirling a section of my hair between his fingers. I could tell he was extremely excited to move forward.

"Can we wait until the book tour is done and I actually have time to plan it?" I asked reluctantly. I knew he was eager to begin our life together but considering everything, I thought a long engagement might be a good idea.

"Whatever you want Mrs. Cullen," he snickered as he kissed my lips sweetly. I really liked the sound of that, especially coming from him. Bella Cullen. "Be forewarned that once my mother knows you have officially accepted the ring, she will probably be on the war path. She already mentioned setting up engagement photo shoots to me yesterday when she gave me the ring."

"There's no use in hiding this, especially since you can see this rock from the space station," I said with a hearty laugh as I stared at my left hand again in appreciation. "Why don't we just tell everyone at your parent's Fourth of July pool party next weekend? I'll call Charlie and make sure he joins us."

Edward nodded his head and pulled me close to him tenderly as we sipped our champagne and let our new found bliss over the engagement settle in. I knew the three ring circus would start the moment Alice, Rosalie and Esme heard the official announcement.

Five short days later, Edward and I were pulling into the driveway of his parent's house to spend the weekend, at their insistence. I think that the moment I called Esme to confirm we were attending and that my father would be joining us, she realized we were going to announce the engagement. She practically begged us to stay the night, most likely to start making plans for the first Cullen wedding.

I got out of the car and quickly stretched, my ribs no longer feeling sore, and walked behind the car to help Edward with our luggage. As he swatted my hand away, Esme practically ran from the front door to embrace us both. "I am so glad you guys agreed to stay the weekend," she exclaimed excitedly as she looked down at my hand and was disappointed to see my left ring finger was bare. Edward was holding onto it until we made the announcement so that no one knew beforehand, particularly Charlie. Edward was planning to ask him officially for my hand in marriage before we made the announcement.

"It's no problem mother," laughed Edward as he had apparently also caught the Esme staring at my hand. "Bella and I figured we could both get drunk tonight and then not worry about driving home." I laughed right along with him as we followed Esme up the stairs and into the house. Edward carried our bags up to his childhood bedroom as Esme grabbed my hand and led me into the kitchen.

"Can you help me with the preparation Bella?" she asked as I noticed she was making a fruit salad to go with everything.

"Sure Esme, just tell me what you need done," I replied as she handed me a cutting board and a big bowl of fruit.

"Why don't you cut up all of that into tiny chunks for the salad," she advised as she handed me a knife. She had already washed all the fruit so I simply need to cut everything up. When Edward walked into the room, she forced him to go join Carlisle in the back yard to finish prepping the pool and the patio. "We haven't used to the backyard much in the past few years so it's nice to have the family all with us."

"I can understand that," I mentioned to her as I thought about the backyard Charlie had let go to waste only a few miles away. "Charlie and I tried to fix up the backyard once with disastrous results."

"Perhaps I should offer him my green thumb," suggested Esme as I smiled brightly at her. She had her work cut out for her if she wanted to beautify that mess. "So… how are you feeling dear?"

"I'm fine Esme. I actually went to see the doctor yesterday and he gave me a clean bill of health which was wonderful. I'm actually looking forward to relaxing in the pool a bit today. They are saying it might go past 90 today." I thought I was talking way too much, but Esme didn't seem to mind. In fact for the next thirty minutes as I continued to chop fruit, she engaged me in all sorts of topics including the book tour, my family history and whether I wanted children. "Yes Esme, I want children eventually. I would really prefer to be settled down and married for a while before they come into the picture."

I chuckled slightly as I heard her huff at my response, no doubt desperate for a baby in the family. Then as though they were sent down from the heavens, Emmett strolled in with Rosalie and Logan looking like the perfect family. "The party can start, I'm here now," shouted Logan as he strolled in like he owned the joint. Emmett patted him on the back, apparently proud of the scene he made. "Daddy made me say that. I was supposed to say it in front of grandpa though, where is he?"

"He's out back with Uncle Edward getting some leaves out of the pool," explained Esme as Emmett followed Logan out to the backyard, where he had already run into Edward's arms. "It's lovely to see you again Rosalie."

"Thanks Esme. It's great to get back out here for such a great day. I'm guessing Alice and Jasper haven't arrived yet?" questioned Rosalie as I stepped back into the kitchen to finish chopping the last strawberries.

"No, Alice had to finish up something quickly at home before leaving this morning," sighed Esme as I snickered to myself. _Yeah she probably had to finish fucking Jasper before being stuck with her parents all day._ "They should be here around two."

Rosalie simply nodded her head and began helping Esme marinate the ribs she was preparing for dinner. They had a veritable feast planned for the family and my mouth was watering at the thought. I was pulled from my thoughts when Edward wandered in and wrapped his arms around me. "What time is Charlie getting here?"

"He gets off his shift at three and should be here an hour later. He wanted to go home and get cleaned up," I explained as I felt Edward's warm breath on my neck.

"Logan wants to go swimming and I offered to join him. Care to come with us?" he asked as I nodded in agreement. "We're going to go get changed. I hope you don't mind that I'm stealing her," he asked his mother anxiously.

"No it's fine. Rosalie and I will probably be outside to join everyone soon," she exclaimed as I laughed when I heard her question Rosalie about having more kids. She was desperate wasn't she?

I followed Edward upstairs to his bedroom and started to rummage through my luggage for my bikini when I felt Edward behind me, his hands firmly on my hips and his hard on rubbing against my ass. "I thought we were getting dressed to go swimming?" I asked curiously as Edward turned me around and kissed my neck fiercely.

"Well, first we need to get undressed," he said with a growl as he pulled my t-shirt over my head and threw it onto his bed. He had his hands in the waist of my shorts, tugging them off with my panties in one swift movement.

As he pulled away from me and began to undress himself, I continued to search through the bag for my bikini, finally finding it right at the bottom beneath a sundress I planned to wear later in the night. I tossed the dark blue bikini on the bed and closed my luggage. Just as I was about to toss it on the floor, Edward was back up against me, his hands reached under my raised arms and began to massage my breasts as I felt his cock again against my ass.

"Dr. Thomas said you were healthy enough for every possible activity," whispered Edward as I felt him push against my lower back and he began to bend me over the edge of the black leather couch which took up almost an entire wall of the bedroom. There was no way I was going to object seeing as it had been almost three weeks since we last had sex, but I gasped slightly as I felt his cool hand run the length of my slit. "Oh fuck, you are so wet for me Mrs. Cullen."

"Fuck me Mr. Cullen," I replied as I practically turned around and forced myself on him when he called me Mrs. Cullen. We hadn't even announced our engagement yet, but every single time he called me that I felt my girly bits tingle in excitement. Shouldn't my heart flutter? Instead my clit twitched. Before he had a chance to reply, I could hear the familiar ripping of the condom as he covered himself and thrust his cock inside of me.

**EPOV**

"I will fucking do back flips on the day we no longer need to use condoms," I said with a groan as I gripped Bella's hips tightly and continued to fuck her. Sure this wasn't the way I envisioned the next time we had sex after we got engaged, but as I spent the morning outside with my dad watching her in the kitchen, I couldn't take it anymore and had to have her.

"If I hadn't been full of meds for two weeks I would say we could stop now seeing as I am on the pill, but I am not taking any chances, now shut up and fuck me Edward," she panted breathlessly as I reached down and began to rub her clit furiously. I had to admit it turned me on to no end knowing that my family was gathered downstairs and I was fucking my future wife against a couch I used to study on when I was in high school.

"Oh fuck Bella," I groaned as I felt her body tense up and she began milking my cock, bringing on my own release. I growled loudly as I came hard and was suddenly woken from my orgasm filled thoughts by a loud knock on the door.

"Uncle Edward… I thought you were coming swimming," cried out Logan as Bella and I covered our mouths to keep from laughing, even though we both looked mortified.

"Sorry Champ. Auntie Bella had some trouble with her bathing suit. Did you get yours on?" I asked as I made sure the door was locked and went over to find my own green plaid boxers from my luggage, tugging the condom off as I went. I tossed it into the garbage can in the bathroom and pulled on my shorts quickly.

"Yup, but Momma and Daddy say I can't go swimming without you," explained Logan as he beat on the door again. "So hurry up. I want to eat some of Grandma Esme's cookies but if I do it now, she said I have to wait an hour before going swimming."

I giggled as Bella slipped on her bikini and when I looked at her, I felt the need to fuck her all over again. She was wearing a dark blue bikini and the top tied around her neck, revealing her bare shoulders. The bottoms had small ties on the side and I imagined untying them in the pool and shoving myself inside of her. "Don't worry Logan. We're almost done," called Bella as she punched me gently on the shoulder and gripped my hand. "Are you ready?"

"As I ever will be," I sighed as she unlocked the door and pulled me downstairs with Logan leading the way.

We spent the next hour playing in the pool with Logan, including several rousing games of Marco Polo which he cheated at. He kept jumping out of the pool and my father kept tossing him back in each time which made him laugh happily. The moment Alice and Jasper arrived, Jasper shocked us all by jumping in the pool in all his clothes and yelling 'cannonball'. Unfortunately, Emmett then followed suit and I was worried Carlisle would need to refill the pool. I actually couldn't complain one bit about the day until Charlie arrived and I started to get nervous.

"Hey Dad," called Bella as she wandered over and gave him a quick hug. She had already been out of the pool for almost an hour, lying on one of the lounge chairs with Alice and trying desperately to get a tan, which I think was impossible in Washington.

"Hey sweetie," he replied as he returned her hug, albeit a bit awkwardly. Things had improved vastly since her accident, but things definitely weren't completely repaired in their relationship. I had hoped that him coming to the family picnic and our engagement would help the situation.

"Hey Charlie," I exclaimed as I wandered over and gave him a quick handshake. "I'm going to go get dried and dressed, but I was hoping we could talk when I got back?"

"Sure," he replied as he took the beer my father offered him and they began talking easily about the crime rate in Forks. I walked away quickly, grabbing a towel to try to dry myself off and ran to the bedroom nervous as hell. I had a quick shower in the bathroom before putting on a pair of khaki shorts and a loose button down green shirt. Just as I was about the leave the room, Bella wandered in and my nervousness instantly melted away.

"When do you want to tell them?" she asked as she kissed my lips tenderly and my hands immediately fell to her hips.

"After dinner or after Charlie gives the okay?" I asked her in return as she scowled at me.

"How about after Charlie gives the okay? That way we're not interrupting anything else your mother has planned. I think she only wanted us to sleep over so that she could start with the wedding planning in the morning, she's certain we're telling them all today," said Bella was a sigh as I hugged her to me supportively.

"I'll pull her aside and tell her to wait three months. She'll understand, she knows how busy you are baby," I explained to her as I felt her tension disappear. "Now put on that sexy sundress and meet me in the backyard in five minutes. I have to go talk to your dad." Bella leaned up and kissed me on the lips as I gripped the door knob harder than I needed to. I didn't want to leave her, but I needed to get this over with.

As I crossed the back yard towards Charlie, he was sitting with Esme discussing the possibility of her doing some gardening for him, which surprised the hell out of me. "Are you ready for a conversation with me Charlie?" I asked, not wanting to interrupt them, but desperate to talk with him.

"Sure thing Edward," he said with a grin as he grabbed his beer and stood up. He promised Esme to continue their conversation when he got back and she simply smiled, knowing full well what I was about to do. We walked across the yard silently, moving towards the small arbor that Esme had arranged that was surrounded with flowers. "So, what's going on? You look like death."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his words and I prayed to god he had left his gun at home or in the car at least. "I wanted to talk to you about something serious."

"Shoot," said Charlie calmly as I laughed at his poor choice of words.

"I asked Bella to marry me and I know I am doing this out of order because I should have asked your permission first, so I suppose I am asking for your blessing instead," I finally choked out as I felt his hand pat me on the back.

"I know we don't know each other well and I have my reservations about how long you've been dating my daughter, but I know you would never hurt her. I knew you loved her the moment I met you. You reminded me of me when I met her mother Renee," said Charlie as I heard him pause for a moment, no doubt reflecting on Bella's mom and the love they shared. "Did Bella say yes?"

"Yeah," I replied nervously as I ran my fingers through my still damp hair.

"Then I'd be more than happy if you married her. She knows better than anyone what's right for her. I should have realized that a long time ago before the entire situation with Jacob," he explained as I shuddered at the mere mention of him. "I'm just glad things are getting better between Bella and me."

"I have a feeling the wedding will only improve things," I added as he smiled at me and took a swig of his beer. Bella was now crossing the yard to join us, looking gorgeous as ever in a white eyelet sundress that made her look like a bride and I couldn't help but smile.

"You boys aren't planning something bad are you?" she asked as she giggled and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Not at all Bella. Edward here was just doing something honorable and I respect him even more for it. When are you telling everyone?" he inquired as Bella glanced up at me and I tugged the ring from my pocket, slipping it back where it belonged on her left ring finger.

"No time like the present," said Bella happily as she tugged on both of our hands, leading us across the yard where the entire family was gathered. "Edward and I have an announcement to make," she declared as she pulled me up onto one of the steps leading out from the house so that we were above everyone and they could hear us. I couldn't help but notice my mother start crying before we even got the words out. Everyone looked up at us expectantly with the exception of Charlie and Esme.

"Bella and I are getting married," I exclaimed as everyone practically jumped out of their seats and started screaming. I looked over at Logan and he looked a little confused.

"OH MY GOD," screamed out Alice as she wrapped her arms around Bella and began chatting a million miles a minute. "Did you guys pick a date yet? Are you going to have it here or in Seattle? Oh my god, have you picked colors?"

"Alice calm down," chucked my dad as he pulled her away from Bella so that he could offer up a congratulatory hug. "Welcome to the family, officially of course," he said with a snicker as I noticed Logan come up and give Bella's leg a hug.

"Does this mean you won't be my girlfriend anymore?" he inquired with a sad frown on his face.

"Sorry sweetheart," said Bella as she bent down and he hugged her tightly. "I'm going to be your real Auntie Bella someday soon. Until I get married though, feel free to call me your girlfriend."

"Hey," I retorted with a grin as Logan hugged me too.

"Sorry Uncle Edward, but you need to help me find a new girlfriend now," he said with a sly grin as I mussed his hair up a bit.

"No he won't" laughed Bella. "You can use your father for that young man."

The rest of the night was honestly a blur as my mother and Alice kept cornering Bella and making suggestions for the wedding which I knew Bella didn't care for. She wanted small and simple, which made me more than happy. I honestly didn't care about the specifics, I just wanted to stand at the altar, declare my love for her and keep her safe and happy for the rest of our lives. We could do it while jumping out of a plane while we were being officiated by Elvis, I didn't care.

When it finally started to darken outside, Carlisle walked from the garage with a huge box of fireworks and I couldn't help but laugh at Logan's enthusiasm. "Do you have a permit for those?" asked Charlie with a laugh as he went to join Carlisle.

"I didn't know I needed one Chief," replied my father nervously as Charlie patted him on the back.

"You don't. I'm just messing with you," he replied as I laughed heartily. I had no idea Charlie had jokes. Well, he probably had jokes about fishing, but who wanted to hear those?

As the fathers prepared everything for the fireworks show on the back lawn, I lay down on a lounger near the pool and Bella joined me, her body resting between my legs, her back against my chest. I immediately began to kiss her neck and wished there were less people around us so that I could do some very naughty things to her.

We laid together for the longest time until we finally heard Carlisle scream out that it was time and then we both turned out heads to the sky to watch the show they had planned. Logan was oohing and ahhing at all the bright lights and loud noises which used to make me just as happy when I was his age. Of course now I had Bella and she made me a hundred times happier than any fireworks display ever could.

"Oh, I have a great idea," called out Alice from a few feet beside us. "We need to celebrate the engagement… let's go out tomorrow night? Just the adults, dinner… dancing… all that jazz?"

"Who will watch Logan if all my usual babysitters are out with me?" asked Rosalie curiously as Esme suddenly appeared, as though out of nowhere.

"Leave him here for the rest of the weekend. Carlisle and I can manage him for two days," suggested my mother as I noticed Rosalie give her a grateful hug before returning to Emmett's arms. "He's got plenty of clothes upstairs in the little bedroom we made for him."

"Thanks Mom," said Emmett easily as Logan continued shouting about the fireworks.

"So it's settled. I'll make reservations for seven Saturday night down at Tangerine and we can go dancing afterwards at some club. By the way, Mom… do I get fireworks when I eventually get engaged?" asked Alice with a grin as she looked over at our mother in surprise.

"This wasn't for their engagement Alice, this was for the fourth of July. Independence Day. If you want fireworks, talk to Jasper," she said happily as she walked over towards Logan with a plate of cookies in her hand. How that kid didn't weigh a hundred pounds by now shocked me.

"If you want fireworks, I'll take you to the bedroom," I heard Jasper tell Alice as I mocked puking and everyone started to laugh, even Logan although he had no idea why he was laughing.

Just as the display ended, we said our good nights to everyone, including Charlie and reluctantly dragged ourselves up stairs to my old bedroom. We both stripped down to our underwear and climbed in, not really caring that we had brought pajamas but we weren't going to use them.

"Your mother is going to be the death of me with this wedding," Bella sighed as she curled up next to me, her lips against my chest.

"I'll talk to her before we leave tomorrow. I'll tell her that if she doesn't let up we're never having babies," I said with a laugh as I felt Bella chuckle against me. "She's been asking, hasn't she?"

"Yeah," said Bella reluctantly.

"She is a sneaky thing. Hell, we'll probably go out for coffee one morning and come back to find the apartment transformed into a bridal salon with dresses everywhere. Have you made any decisions about any of the wedding plans?"

"I know where I want us to get married," she said happily as I smiled down at her, checking her face for a hint of what she was going to say.

"Where?"

"Jackson Hole."


	36. Chances

**A/N: All hail… an update for Cabin Fever. If you haven't noticed yet… we will be nearing the end of this journey I like to call Cabin Fever. I think I have about 5-6 chapters left, including an epilogue because who doesn't like to know what happened five years into the future, right?**

**But never fear, finishing this story just means I have more time to work on the other two, as well as my various Beta duties, and the C2 Community I recently made with some of my ff buddies for underappreciated but awesome fics. (Link on my profile)**

**I need to thank the usual suspects for this chapter: MaggieMay14 (beta supreme), flightlessbird11 (who helped unknowingly with this chapter), lovebuggkiss, lysvia and every single one of you who reviewed. I'm glad you like the Jackson Hole wedding concept and hope you enjoy this chapter as well. Welcome to the fold Agathons Fan. Thanks for reviewing EVERY single chapter. LOL**

**I've been asked by Clancy119 if there will be a sequel… and no there will not. The American Boy sequel is kicking my ass and I seriously doubt I will ever write another sequel again. Although, on the bright side, I do have a few more ideas kicking around in my head for future stories.**

**I don't own twilight, but I do have two naked cabbage patch kids on my floor.**

**EPOV**

In my opinion, October couldn't get here fast enough. My life was at a weird sort of precipice until October came upon us. Bella was away for most of September on her book tour, which took her through most of the U.S. I flew out to visit her for a few days in San Francisco, but thanks to a hectic schedule at Cullen Advertising and the new campaign we had created both for her book and five other new clients, we were swamped. The life I was living now reminded me of my time in Los Angeles. I woke up and went to work, I ate lunch at my desk and often times ate dinner or sometimes skipped it all together. The highlight of my days now was the phone calls and e-mails I got from Bella.

The lowlight of my month was the constant calls from both Alice and Esme asking me about wedding details. I felt bad constantly reminding them that we were not making any arrangements until Bella returned on October 3rd. I also didn't have the heart to tell them we weren't getting married in Seattle. Esme had dreams of taking over the Fairmont downtown and having some lavish bash, but as Bella and I discussed our desires about our wedding, we wanted the complete opposite of them.

It was only two weeks after our official engagement announcement to our families when we were sitting out on my small patio enjoying the evening sun disappear behind the buildings when we finally came to our conclusion.

"Esme keeps asking me about the wedding," she sighed as she took a sip of her wine and laid it back on the small table. We had replaced the two small chairs out here with one oversized chaise lounge that we enjoyed lying on, wrapped around each other. "I feel like my dreams are going to disappoint her."

"This wedding is about us Bella, not our parents or siblings. Lord knows Charlie doesn't give a shit what we do. He's ready to get the suit on and walk you down the aisle. Don't worry about what my mother wants, or my sister for that matter," I explained as I traced my finger nervously around her ear, reveling in the feeling of her soft skin against my touch.

"She made a guest list already," said Bella as she turned over from her side and rested her chin on my chest. Her eyes were so expressive that I couldn't help but lean down and kiss her lips gently.

"How many people?"

"A hundred and sixty eight," groaned Bella as I ran my hands down her back, trying to soothe her.

"How many people did you want at our wedding?" I asked in response as she grinned at me.

"Including you and me…. Ten. Oh and if you add whoever presides over the ceremony, I guess that would be 11," she said confidently as I looked down at her and saw a huge smile lighting up her entire face. She looked beautiful.

"Eleven people it is. Did you know when you wanted to do it?"

"Well, I always want to do it with you Mr. Cullen…. However, I was torn between a Christmas Wedding this year or a spring wedding next year." Bella was positively beaming whenever she spoke about our wedding when we were together. However, when other family members were around it was a different story. The pressure coming from all angles was unbelievable. Even Logan had to get his two cents in and suggested we get married by Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Disneyworld.

I think the last straw came at Bella's going away party for her book tour. We were all sitting at the Lodge having a lovely dinner in their backroom where Bella and I had gotten back together several months earlier, when Alice decided to tell Bella some news which she wasn't pleased to hear. "So, I set you and Edward you an account at theknot(dot)com," explained Alice as I felt Bella cringe beside me.

"Alice, you have known me the longest out of everyone in this room. Do you really think I want a wedding website?" inquired Bella as Alice sat there, her face still and apparently unsure.

"Since you're mad I'm going to guess no… but listen to me… it's very practical. This way all of our friends and family can get details on the wedding like where you guys are registered, and get directions to the reception hall. I'll even update it for you guys if you want," she suggested as I noticed Bella drop her fork by her side.

"Who here wants Edward and me to elope to Vegas?" she asked with a straight face as no one lifted their hands. Everyone was staring at her in surprise, even Logan and Emmett. "If you guys ask one more question, request or even a recommendation about our wedding. We will step on the plane down to Vegas. This is mine and Edward's wedding and we don't want some big elaborate thing. It will be small and it will be perfect."

"Yeah… what she said," I added in an effort to break the tension. Thankfully everyone laughed at my lame attempt at humor and the situation was defused. We still have a damned wedding webpage, but there isn't anything there but our names and the fake wedding date Alice put up. June 23, 2010.

However, the moment Bella left for her trip, Esme and Alice were all over me about details. Had Bella and I planned anything? Did she want to go dress shopping when she got back into town? How many people are going to be in the wedding party? It was insufferable.

So here I sit, on a small bench outside of baggage claim at Sea-Tac airport waiting for my fiancée, who I had to promise wouldn't be seeing my family for a few days, at the very least. In fact as far as I was concerned, we weren't going to be seeing anything outside the confines of our apartment. I had done groceries this morning, all the bills were paid, the plants were watered… and I was horny as fuck.

When I saw her walk through some double doors at the end of the airport, it was like my world stopped and my cock grew rock hard. I had to stop with the fantasies of stealing her away and taking her into some darkened closet in this airport for a quick screw. Bella deserved better and I had promised to spend my life giving her that.

I rushed towards her, a smile so wide on my face my cheeks were almost hurting. "Fuck, I missed you," I exclaimed as I wrapped my arms around her, lifting her off the ground and greedily took in her scent. When I finally put her back on solid ground, my hands gripped her face gently and I began to kiss every square inch of her lovely face.

"I should go away more often if this is the reception I get when I come home," she said with a grin as I entwined her hand in mind and led her off towards the carousel where the luggage from Chicago was due to arrive.

"No. This month was horrible. Everything in the apartment reminded me of you and some nights I even slept with your pajamas because they smelt like you. Then I determined that was really creepy and ended up snuggling with your pillow instead," I said with a smile as she stood on her tip toes and kissed my lips.

"One person's creepy is another person's adorable," she responded as we stood by the carousel waiting impatiently for her luggage.

Luggage started to descend slowly and I positioned myself behind Bella, her eyes focused on all the bags that were appearing before us. I wrapped my arms around her and rested my chin on her shoulder. "I can't wait to get you home Mrs. Cullen," I whispered seductively as I felt her hands moving smoothly against my arm.

"Oh really. Do tell Mr. Cullen," she whispered back as I sucked her ear lobe into my mouth, not really caring if everyone in the airport saw us.

"Well Mrs. Cullen, I'd like to say I had some romantic evening planned out, but I was simply planning to fuck you on every surface in our apartment till we passed out in ecstasy," I said quietly as I moved my hands slightly so that I was able to cup her firm breast in my hand.

"Why are we waiting till we get home?" she retorted with a wide grin.

"Bella, I would fuck you over this baggage turnstile if I could baby. I'm certain you can feel what you do to me," I said with a groan as she pushed ass back against my raging hard on. I hadn't noticed any movement on her part, but I shivered when her hand slipped behind her back and between us, and she was moving her fingers against my cock, causing me to groan rather loudly. I got a few odd looks from the people around us but determined that I didn't care. _Hmm… perhaps I could get road head?_

Ten minutes later, Bella's luggage was safely within the confines of the trunk of the Volvo and we were cruising down Interstate 5 back into town, with some old Aimee Mann coming from the speakers. "How was Chicago?"

"You don't care about what happened in Chicago, Edward. Who I met with, how many interviews I had or any of that shit," she said with a smirk as I nodded my head in response. "What are you really thinking?"

"I'm wondering what you have under that skirt," I said succinctly as I tried to watch her as closely from my seat. She wriggled a bit in the chair and quickly tugged her thong off, flinging it onto my dashboard. _Where it will stay for eternity._ "I guess that answers that question."

"Edward, we've been apart for a month, discounting the two attempts at phone sex and the two wonderful nights in San Francisco almost three weeks ago. I need some release," she panted to me as I was suddenly hard as rock. _Is it wrong of me to hope she is about to please herself on the seat beside me._ "You won't mind if I take matters into my own hands, will you?"

"Fuck no," I shouted out before I had a chance to think about. We are sooo about to get into a car accident. It only took her seconds, but I quickly glanced over and noticed her skirt was now higher on her hips and her hand was buried between her thighs. I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that I was unable to see the movements she was making between her legs, but the noises Bella made were driving me nuts.

Her little hand appeared to be working overtime as she moaned and groaned in pleasure. My cock twitched every time my name fell from her lips and I prayed we didn't get a speeding ticket because I was doing my best to get us home as quickly as possible. Mere minutes from our apartment building, Bella screamed out, her orgasm echoing through the car and I honestly thought we were going to hit a tree or something. Just as we turned onto our street, Bella held her soaked fingers out for me and I sucked on them greedily.

"What the hell are you doing Edward?" she asked when we pulled into the underground parking and I ran out of the car and practically dragged Bella out, throwing her over my shoulder.

"We are going upstairs," I growled as I ran to the elevator and hit the button for our floor.

"But my luggage is still in the trunk," she called out in frustration.

"Fuck the luggage." The moment we reached our apartment, I slammed the door shut and forced Bella up against the wall, her skirt now completely bunched at the waist. I didn't waste any time getting down to business and neither did she, as I felt her hands tugging on my belt and pulling down my pants and boxers as I sucked on her neck and palmed her breasts through the fabric of her shirt.

I grasped Bella's ass firmly in my hands and lifted her up slightly. She instantly wrapped her legs around my waist and I plunged deep inside of her eager pussy. "Fuck me," she groaned out as I used one hand to steady us against the wall and another to grip her ass, thrusting into her as hard as possible.

"No more trips … without… aw fuck…me," I gasped out as Bella began sucking on my neck furiously, her tongue working wonders on me. After a few short minutes, I was already on the brink of cumming. I felt Bella's fingers digging into my back through the fabric of my shirt and groaned as I felt us both release with loud screams.

**BPOV**

It was the longest damned month of my life. Between all the meetings, interviews, photo sessions and lonely nights in the hotel rooms, I was desperate to get back to Edward. When I had nothing better to do, I would usually check out various wedding websites. I hadn't told Edward yet, but I was planning on a Christmas Eve wedding up at the Cullen Cabin. I knew Esme would be all for dragging the entire family up there for the holidays, now I just had to figure out the wedding aspect of everything.

I had already looked up a few vendors and some potential wedding dresses, but I felt bad because I knew how excited Alice and Esme were to help with the wedding planning, so I shelved all my ideas and decided to wait until I got home. However, the more I thought about it, the more I had visions of me in a simple white dress with Edward in a black suit, our family surrounding us. With the backdrop of twinkle lights and a huge Christmas tree, it would be perfect. I might even insist on hanging all the decorations we bought at Target the year before when Edward and I celebrated together. Now we just had to tell the family; my flight arrived at six o'clock on a Friday and we had a family dinner at the Cullen house scheduled for Sunday night.

It was late on Saturday night, after yet another love making session in the shower, when I finally told Edward what I wanted.

"Baby, what would you say if I said I wanted to get married this Christmas at your parent's cabin?" I asked with a grin as I felt Edward's hands running through my slightly damp hair. We had just crawled back into our bed after toweling off and were trying to go to sleep, which I wasn't expecting since Edward's hands were all over my body again. He had become insatiable since I had come back from my tour, not that I minded.

"I would say… whatever Mrs. Cullen wants, Mrs. Cullen gets."

"You do realize we have only two and a half months to plan the entire thing, right?" I asked as he simply smiled happily at me.

"Yes, but the moment you mention the idea to Esme she will be like a tornado of wedding planning. She mentioned to my dad the possibility of someone getting married at the cabin when they bought it. She will love the idea," he said confidently, his fingers still working their way through my hair and his other hand was now massaging my breast.

"Can you think of something other than sex for a minute?" I asked curiously as he shook his head.

"Nope. Now where do you want to go for our honeymoon? I'm already fantasizing about that sex," he said with a laugh as I slapped him playfully against his bare chest.

"You pick… surprise me," I said coolly as he raised his eye brow, unsure of whether I was being serious or not. "Just make it somewhere warm. It will be December after all."

"Consider it done Mrs. Cullen," he said with a laugh as we ended up making out like teenagers in the backseat of a Cutlass Supreme for the next two hours before finally falling asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

"Okay, so I will break the news early in the evening, otherwise they will pester us all night about the plans they have in mind," Edward said with a smile as we walked up to the front door of his parent's house and we walked right in.

"Welcome Back Bella," said Carlisle sweetly as he saw us step in the door. Esme, as expected, bolted from the kitchen and gave us each a warm hug. "Edward's been a little lonely without you."

"I think we have fixed that issue," I said with a laugh as Logan came running into the room with a mouthful of cookies.

"Auntwie Bellas," he said as crumbs fell onto the floor and Esme shot him a disapproving look.

"You'll clean that up after you give your hugs," said Esme as I bent down and Logan gave me a huge hug.

"We missed you," he said genuinely as I nodded my head.

"So I've heard," I said happily as Rosalie and Emmett walked in a moment later looking very flushed. "Rearranging the pantry?" I asked sarcastically as Emmett smiled brightly at me.

"Something like that," he said as Rosalie straightened out her skirt. Since Emmett and Rosalie reunited a few months earlier, they had been taking things slow, until I was away on my book tour and they happened across a house they both fell in love with instantly and bought it. They were moving in mid-November and were clearly excited about everything. As Edward stepped into the living room with Logan on his heels, Rosalie dragged me into the kitchen to show me the floor plans and photos of their new house.

"I can't believe you guys bought a house," I said, my voice still dripping with surprise.

"It was getting ridiculous for us. I was never at my apartment; we were always over at Emmett's. Logan's toys were everywhere and I just didn't feel at home there. We were taking Logan to a park a few block from my place and saw the house for sale, we got an awesome deal even though we need to put a little work into it," she said excitedly as she pulled out some pictures of the house. It was a little shabby, but with a new coat of paint and some landscaping, it would probably look pretty nice.

Rosalie then pulled out the floor plans and showed me each of the rooms. "I think we are going to knock out this wall between the living room and kitchen to make more of a great room, but otherwise the traffic flow is nice."

"Traffic flow?" I laughed happily. "I never once thought I would hear Rosalie Hale talking about traffic flow in her new home that she bought with Emmett Cullen." Rosalie smacked me on the shoulder and simply laughed in response.

"Anyways, the master suite is here on the main floor and all the kids rooms are upstairs," she explained as I counted out the rooms on the second floor.

"There are four rooms up there. Please tell me you are not going to have three more kids," I said with a smile.

"Well, no. We've discussed having maybe two more and one of them will definitely be a guest room or a play room. We're still working out the details," she said sweetly as I leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"I am so glad you are happy Rosalie. Pretty soon we will all have our fairy tale endings right?" I asked as she nodded her head and gave me a huge hug that was broken up when Logan burst in requesting more cookies.

After almost half an hour, Alice and Jasper finally arrived, fashionably late, as Alice liked to remind her mother every time she was reprimanded for not being on time. Unfortunately, they arrived just as dinner we being served, so Edward and I decided to just casually mention the news at dinner and hope for the best.

"The roast beef looks wonderful, Esme," exclaimed Jasper as she served us each a plate of her famous roast beef, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans and Yorkshire pudding. It looked delicious.

"So Bella and I have decided to get married this Christmas Eve," commented Edward simply. It was as though he was asking someone to pass the butter or something.

"Really?" shouted out Alice as everyone stared at Edward and I. "Are you pregnant? That's way too soon to plan a wedding unless you don't want the baby bump showing."

"No, I'm not pregnant Alice," I responded, my voice completely exasperated at her accusation. I took a deep breath and calmed myself quickly. "Edward and I met last December in Jackson Hole and we want to get married there. At the cabin, on Christmas Eve. I would appreciate help from both you and Esme, but I understand if you are…"

"Of course we will help Bella, don't even worry about it. This will however puts me in a bad spot considering I have told so many friends and family about the upcoming wedding," she said remorsefully as Edward scowled at her.

"How many times did I tell you we wanted a small wedding? You said a hundred and fifty guests and I said maybe twenty. So now you are getting the specifics. We will send out announcements to all the guests we don't invite, which is everyone not at this table," Edward said sternly as Esme took her seat and glanced over at me.

"Don't worry mom. When Rosie and I end up getting married eventually, you can have a big lavish wedding," laughed Emmett as Rosalie punched him on the arm. "What? You know you want to wear a huge poufy dress and dance while 500 people are watching you. At least that is what you said when we dated in high school."

"You remember that?" she said as she lifted her hand to her chest, clearly touched that he remembered something that happened so long ago.

"Of course. We might have been apart, but I remembered almost everything you said when we dated. I think it's all etched on my brain like a tattoo," he stated firmly as Rosalie gripped his face in her hands and kissed him passionately.

"Not at the dinner table," groaned Carlisle as Alice moved her hand to cover Logan's eyes.

"You don't have to cover them Auntie Alice, they do this at home all the time," he said with a loud laugh as everyone looked to Emmett and Rosalie who were finally pulling their faces apart and blushing profusely.

Once all the awkwardness was over, Alice and Esme talked my ear off about wedding colors, cakes, floral arrangements and most important of all… dresses. Alice was planning to make an appointment for me at a nearby bridal salon for Tuesday night, since Edward had a late phone conference. They seemed to get over their disappointment about having a small wedding pretty quickly once all the details were arranged. Even as they walked Edward and I out the door that night, Esme was still gushing about the possibilities of covering the entire living room in poinsettias, an idea I wasn't overly thrilled with.

"That was less painful than I imagined," laughed Edward as he opened the car door for me and I slid in effortlessly.

"That's because you just half to stand in your living room in a suit and look handsome. I have to help plan every single minute detail, down to the last poinsettia plant," I said with a laugh after her had gotten into his seat comfortably and latched his seat belt.

"It could be worse. You could be forced into the monstrosity of a wedding that my mother really wanted to plan," he explained as I felt his hand on my thigh and I instantly relaxed. "I've been meaning to ask you something all night though. What happened to the long engagement you wanted? I'm not complaining in the least, but before you went on the tour you were all about dragging this out and now its a few weeks away."

"While I was away… you don't realize how lonely I was. I know you were busy with work in the evenings or spending time with your family, but I was all alone in whatever hotel room in whatever city. Some nights I would just sit there and stare at the ceiling, wondering what the hell I was doing there. I should have been with you," I explained as Edward pulled out of his parent's private driveway and onto the main highway back towards Seattle. "It didn't take me long to realize there was no reason to wait to marry you. I'm certain about you and me. I just took a little distance to make me realize how I shouldn't wait for what I want."

"I could turn out to be a serial killer. You haven't looked in my storage space yet," laughed Edward as I leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"I'll take my chances."


	37. Mothers and Fathers

**A/N: Okay, I'm back from the wilderness again and it was very productive. I even had an idea for a new story… yes you heard that right, another story, but I haven't started it. I've bounced the idea off a few people and they seem to like it, so we will see where it goes in the future.**

**Thanks as usual to my masta-beta Maggiemay14 who, even without internet access, has managed to review my chapter this week. I'm still praying her net gets back up soon… damn you Bell Canada. Huge thanks also to flightlessbird11 for becoming a sounding board for my ideas and helping me pick out Bella's wedding dress (link on my profile page) If you haven't gotten around to reading her story "Someone to watch over me" you suck. I beta'd her latest chapter, which is chock full of lemony goodness… so get on over there. It's listed in my favorites and the C2 we have.**

**Oh… I'm also on twitter and give quick updates about my stories on there. It's fun… come join us ******

**I don't own twilight, I am however waiting on a package from UPS today. Two packages really. Who's excited for me? No one? Oh well.**

**BPOV**

"That's the one," cried out Esme excitedly as I took my spot atop the small platform surrounded by mirrors in the bridal salon. It was Tuesday evening, just as Alice had planned, and we were traipsing about 'Diane's Bridal Boutique' in downtown Seattle searching through the racks of gowns, all of which were way too formal or poufy for my liking.

"You've said that about every single one I have tried on," I retorted as I felt Alice fluff out the train behind me. I was currently in the sixth dress of the afternoon and although each was one infinitely better than the previous, none of them felt right. The first was a monstrosity of epic proportions that was better suited to a princess from a Disney movie rather than my small Wyoming wedding. "This one is way too fancy."

"Okay Bella, I am starting to give up hope," laughed Alice as she started to sort through the dress racks in my size again.

"I want simple, with some classic details. No gigantic skirt or huge train. Simple, comfortable and sexy," I explained as Diane, the saleswoman who had been assisting us disappeared behind a curtain and assured she would return in a moment. "Where's Rose? I thought she was going to join us today."

"She and Emmett signed Logan up for Pee-Wee Football and he had a practice today. Emmett is even coaching the team which I think is very cute," explained Esme proudly. She had been so happy when Rosalie and Emmett finally reconciled, all of her children nearby, they were all in solid relationships; things were definitely looking up for the Cullen Family. "This one's nice, simple and sexy."

"Mom that's a slip. Do you want Bella to wear undergarments when she marries Edward? If so, we'll get her some garters, lacy underwear and a veil. It will be like she just stepped off of Rock of Love Bus," laughed Alice as I giggled right alongside her. Esme just rolled her eyes at us as Diane walked back in, a new dress in her hands.

"I think this might be more your style Bella," said Diane as she put the dress in the changing room I had been using. A few minutes later, I strolled up to the platform and looked in the mirror. It was perfect.

"Okay, I stand corrected, that's the one," said Esme with a giggle as I nodded my head. It was a beautiful A line gown with pleating across the bust and small silver details along the neckline and between the breasts. She was right; it was elegant yet simple. Not too fancy and perfect to dance in with my new husband. I let out a small giggle, which did not go unnoticed by Alice or Esme. I still couldn't believe I was going to be Mrs. Edward Cullen.

"How much?" I inquired as Esme shook her head and handed Diane a credit card. Diane simply nodded her head and marched off towards the cash as Alice chased after her to make sure we could get the dress before mid-December when we left for Jackson Hole.

"Esme, you didn't need to do that," I stammered nervously as I stepped back into the change room to remove the gown. I immediately felt obligated to Esme and Carlisle for purchasing the wedding gown. As if it wasn't bad enough that she had offered to pay for the cake, flowers and food, now she insisted on buying the gown. "Esme please let me pay you for the dress. I'll cut a check right now."

"I didn't do anything Bella. That was your father's credit card," she explained as I looked at her in complete surprise, once I had exited the room. "He stopped by the house on Monday night for dinner with friends. He and Carlisle have gotten exceptionally close since you and Edward announced your engagement."

I had called Charlie on our way home from the Cullen's on Sunday night to let him know of the wedding date so that he would book the time off from the station and I was surprised at how excited he was, but him paying for my wedding dress is a complete shock. I didn't even know Charlie had a card with a limit that high. Then again, the house was paid for and he made decent money as the Chief of Police, so I figured Capital One is probably throwing cards with huge limits his way.

"Charlie's very happy and that you have found happiness with Edward, just like Carlisle and I are." I nodded in acknowledgement at Esme as she pulled me into a bone crushing hug. This woman was tiny but strong and I now knew where Alice got her unlikely strength from. "We are so happy to welcome you as our daughter Bella. Officially that is."

"Thanks, Mom," I responded as the tears started flowing freely between the two of us. I had always felt like a member of the Cullen family, even when I was simply friends with Alice back in high school, but marrying Edward just made everything complete.

"I know your mom won't be able to join us for the wedding," she started to say sweetly as more tears fell. I had called Renee on Monday night and told her about the wedding, but she immediately declined coming, which had made me angry beyond belief that she didn't want to see her only daughter getting married. I understood her reasons, staying back in Phoenix to take care of my grandmother who was suffering from a severe bout of Alzheimer's. She felt indebted to my grandmother who took her in when Renee left Forks and Charlie, to start a new life with me, but I couldn't help but wonder why the hell she was shelling out all sorts of money for a nursing home to spend most of her days taking care of her. "I hope you won't let that ruin your day. You and Edward can go visit her after your honeymoon and show her the video and photos. I'm sure she will love it." I hugged Esme close and Alice wandered in and found us standing in the middle of the room hugging each other and crying.

"I was gone for five minutes, what the hell happened?" she asked exasperated as Esme and I burst out laughing until Diane came in moments later with the receipt.

"The dress fit like a glove, but we've scheduled a fitting on the seventh of December, which Alice has assured me was a week before you left Seattle for the wedding," explained Diane sweetly as she handed me the papers and I was in awe to see the dress cost over two thousand dollars.

As the three of us were walking from the store, heading to a nearby restaurant for a late dinner, my cell phone buzzed with a text message from Edward.

_Meeting's boring. Share good news please –E_

_Bought a dress, cried with your mom, off to dinner – B_

_Can I eat you when I get home? –E_

_I'll bring leftovers and you can have me for dessert –b_

_Fuck, I'm hard already. Luv u – E_

I giggled and shook my head as we walked into the small Thai restaurant, shoving my cell phone back into my purse as we went. Two hours later, I was finally home and unlocked the apartment door, sufficiently full from dinner and missing Edward something fierce. I had called Charlie on my short walk home to thank him for the gift of my wedding dress. As expected, he was pretty casual about the entire thing, which was the standard for Charlie, so I accepted his 'you're welcome' easily and reminded him to join us at the Cullen's for Thanksgiving in five weeks.

As I dropped my purse and keys on the counter, I noticed Edward wasn't home yet, so I placed his Thai peanut noodles into the refrigerator and strolled into the bedroom, stripping off all my clothes in the process and leaving them as a trail from the front door to our bedroom. I slipped on one of Edward's white dress shirts and my favorite silver Calvin Klein tie, lit some candles and waited for him, panty less, on our bed.

Thankfully, Edward arrived less than ten minutes later calling my name out loud the moment he walked in the door. I heard him stop in his tracks and begin slowly picking up my clothing as he came closer to our bedroom. "What do we have here?" he asked as he raised his eyebrow curiously and licked his lips.

I was sitting up in bed; legs spread open and bent at the knees, nothing hidden from his view. "Whatever you would like Mr. Cullen," I said seductively, my voice dripping with lust. Edward quickly tugged off his tie, ripped open his shirt and then yanked off his pants and boxers eagerly, leaving everything in a pile at the end of our bed. I was not surprised to see lil' Cullen already at attention.

Edward climbed onto the bed between my legs and didn't even kiss my lips before forcing my legs apart wider and plunging his tongue into my hot depths. "So incredibly fucking sweet," he groaned out as I threw my head back in pleasure, mumbling something incoherently as he replaced his tongue with his fingers and began licking my clit furiously.

"So… oh fuck yes… how was your meeting?" I asked, a small giggle escaping my lips as he twirled his tongue around my clit and I moaned loudly.

"Stop talking about my work," he said as he pulled away from me for a moment. "If you want to talk… talk dirty."

"Oh lord," I moaned out as his fingers picked up their pace while thrusting inside of me. "Oh fuck Edward… keep fucking me." My fingers reached up and began tangling in his mass of thick bronze hair, tugging fiercely as I cried out his name and came all over his extremely talented fingers and tongue.

"You look so sexy and fuckable in my shirt and tie," stated Edward as he moved up from in between my legs to hover above my body which was now lying flush against the bed. Edward then leaned forward, kissing me passionately as I tasted myself on his tongue and lips. One of his hands began slowly unbuttoning the dress shirt I was wearing, but he didn't want to remove it, just gain access to my breasts, which he spent the next five minutes lavishing attention on.

"Edward…" I groaned lowly in his ear as I felt his erection pressing against me and I was getting pretty desperate to feel his cock within me.

"Hmm?" he responded, never once removing his lips from the nipple he was currently sucking on for dear life.

"You can keep sucking, but can you please slide that big cock inside of me. I need to feel you… fuck your wife Edward," I finally added as he lifted his face from my chest and started to kiss me furiously as he finally thrust himself inside of me.

"Say it again," he groaned as he kept plunging himself within me repeatedly.

"Fuck me," I said firmly as he pulled out and looked down upon me, looking very serious.

"No Bella, say that you're my wife," he stated firmly, his eyes practically burning with desire.

"Fuck your wife," I said happily as he grasped my hips and began thrusting into me, harder and harder with each stroke. Edward's groans and growls grew stronger as he ravaged me to the brink of ecstasy. Finally culminating in our joint release as we each screamed out each other's names.

"Okay, does me saying that I am your wife turn you on that much?" I asked with a snicker.

"Fuck yes. Hell, us discussing this right now is a turn on. Ready for another round? "

**EPOV**

Bella's been home a week from her book tour and of that time ninety percent of it has been spent planning our wedding and the rest has been spent having sex. Today has featured both as Bella joined me for a quick session in the shower before I had to head out for a tuxedo fitting with all of the men.

When I arrived at the tuxedo shop, I was a little overwhelmed. I was the first to arrive and they were showing me all sorts of styles some of which included a cummerbund, one had a top hat and tails and then there was my absolute favorite, the powder blue tuxedo with the ruffled dress shirt and bow tie.

I let out a huge sigh of relief when Alice walked in with Jasper only fifteen minutes later. "George," she said confidently as she read his name off of his name tag. "My name is Alice Cullen. We spoke on the phone yesterday." She was so cheerful as she waltzed up to me and winked, knowing that I was tense about having to choose formal wear. "I believe you have six suits put aside for the Cullen family." _My savior._

"Yes Miss Cullen, I'll get those right away," said George as he scampered away to the front desk and began rummaging through some papers, no doubt looking for Alice's order.

"Thank god you showed up. I think his next suggestion was a zoot suit with in red with a huge hat featuring one long feather. I'm certain Bella would never marry me if I looked like a pimp from the seventies." Alice smiled genuinely and came over to give me a huge as Charlie and Carlisle walked in talking animatedly.

"You didn't think any of us would like you pick out your own suits did you?" she asked as she accepted a hug from our dad. "We're waiting for Emmett and Logan now."

George came over a minute later with his assistant, carrying some suits including a small version for Logan who just happened to walk in a moment later with Emmett. "Everyone is here so let's get them into some changing rooms to try this stuff on," instructed Alice as George led Carlisle, Charlie and I into the first set of change rooms.

I dressed quickly into my black suit with black tie and vest. I was glad there was nothing overly complicated and I felt as though I was dressing for a usual workday at Cullen Advertising, which suited me just fine. No pun intended.

"You look handsome, exclaimed Alice when I finally strolled from the room. "Bella and you will look positively picture perfect."

"That's a lot of P's Alice,' grumbled my father as he strolled over beside us, followed closely by Charlie who looked a tad bit uncomfortable. Then again, anything other than his uniform or a pair of jeans with a flannel shirt would probably make him uncomfortable.

"Charlie, you look dashing," remarked Alice as she bounced towards him and straightened out his tie. He was blushing profusely and for a moment, he reminded me completely of Bella.

"Kate will die when she sees you in this," laughed Carlisle as he spoke like a teenage girl gushing over her boyfriend, the excitement clear in his voice while I wondered only one thing…

"Who the hell is Kate?" asked Alice, Emmett and I at the same time, clearly curious.

"She's one of the nurses at Forks General who I met a few months ago through your father," said Charlie tensely. "I have yet to inform Bella, so I would appreciate you keeping quiet for a little bit please."

Alice and Emmett both nodded their heads and turned away to help both Jasper and Logan with their suits. I however, had my eyes trained on my future father in law. "I'm glad to hear you are seeing someone Charlie and I think Bella would be pleased too."

"Thanks Edward. I've honestly been meaning to discuss it with Bells for a while, but I know I need to bite the bullet soon since Kate will be joining us for Thanksgiving dinner at your parent's next month," explained Charlie as I saw Logan dancing around the store with a top hate and cane, causing me to laugh uncontrollably for a moment.

"Tell her soon. She'd hate to get blindsided," I said casually as Charlie nodded his head at me. He looked at me with wide eyes, clearly looking for some advice from me and I felt my mouth speaking before my brain registered it. "Why don't you and Kate come to dinner at our place? I'll discuss it with Bella tonight."

Now here I sit on my couch, two weeks later, waiting for Charlie and Kate to arrive. When I broke the 'good' news to Bella, she was a bit hesitant about the whole idea. Apparently in her several years of living with Charlie she had never once met any of his girlfriends, which immediately made me wonder if Charlie had any to begin with.

"Do you think we should invite her to the wedding?" asked Bella from the kitchen as she checked on the chicken she had baked to go along with her homemade fettuccine alfredo. My mouth was watering and I was desperate for Charlie and Kate to arrive so that we could eat.

"How about we get through dinner first?" I asked as there was a sudden knock on the door and my stomach grumbled in anticipation. I stood up quickly to answer the door while Bella ran into our bedroom to peel off her apron or puke in nervousness, I wasn't sure which.

"Edward," said Charlie politely as I opened the door and ushered them in. "Where's Bella?" I was about to respond when she strolled in and gave him a slightly tense hug.

"Hi Dad, it's good to see you again," she exclaimed as she looked suspiciously at Kate, clearly giving her the once over.

"Isabella, Edward… this is Kate Denali, my girlfriend," said Charlie happily as we both extended our hands to her and she shook it genuinely. Kate was a fairly attractive looking woman in her early forties with mousy brown hair and a sincere smile. I could see why Charlie was smitten because as they strolled further into the apartment, they seemed like the worked well together.

"Dinner won't be too much longer, just waiting on the chicken," said Bella as she stepped into the kitchen and began to toss the salad and I led Charlie and Kate into the living room. I fetched them each a glass of white wine and they let me know they were staying in the city overnight. I could hear Bella groan in the kitchen as I engaged Charlie and Kate into random conversations, including how they met.

"Actually, we have your parents to thank for that Edward," explained Kate as I noticed Bella look over from the kitchen tensely. "I have worked closely with your father at Forks General when he's there and I met your mother years ago. We recently became a bit friendlier and she suggested that I come over for dinner one night and there was Charlie. No doubt we had both been set up, but I can't complain." Kate reached her hand over and touched Charlie gently on the arm.

"I obviously got the better end of the deal," he laughed as Bella slammed the oven door shut, causing all of us to look over at her in the kitchen.

"It's ready," she said tersely. She was trying to be sweet but I could tell she was a bit frustrated as we all stood and she led us into our rarely used dining room.

"This looks wonderful Bella," exclaimed Kate as she took her seat across from Charlie at the table, with Bella and me flanking the ends of the table.

"Thank you," said Bella as I poured her another glass of wine. The conversation was a bit strained at first between Bella and Kate until they started discussing books. That was when things really started to improve and both Charlie and I smiled when Bella started to warm up to Kate. At first Bella had been very snarky and standoffish, which reminded me of when Bella and I first met because she hated me guts too, although for no reason.

"One of the nurses on my shift recommended I read a book called 'Fascinating Creatures', she said it was an excellent read," said Kate sweetly as Bella and I burst out laughing. "Is there something funny?"

"That's my book," said Bella with a wide smile, no doubt glad to hear that readers were recommending her story.

"Charlie, why didn't you tell me this?" asked Kate as she looked over at Charlie a little upset that he hadn't told her.

"Blame Bells for this one Kate. She never told me the name of her book or what it was about for that matter," stated Charlie as I noticed Bella blush furiously at his remarks.

"It's not your kind of book Charlie. There's no fishing and there's a lot of sex," chuckled Bella as Charlie simply nodded his head, no doubt to avoid any conversation about sex at the dinner table.

"So tell us about the wedding plans," asked Kate as Bella turned back to her and began to launch into stories about dress shopping and the hazards of planning a wedding in Jackson Hole on Christmas Eve.

"I don't particularly recommend a Christmas wedding in a cabin in Wyoming," laughed Bella, followed by the rest of us at the table. "It's rare to find a vendor willing to bring you a cake or flowers on Christmas Eve."

"We'll keep that in mind," said Kate quietly as Bella then dragged Kate into the office / wedding room to see a photo that Alice had taken of Bella in her dress at the bridal salon. Charlie followed my lead and we began clearing the table and cleaning up from dinner. When Bella and Kate returned to the kitchen almost fifteen minutes later, I was elbow deep in hot water as I cleaned the last of the pans and Charlie dried them. I couldn't help but notice that Kate was carrying a hardcover copy of Bella's book.

"Charlie hon, we need to get going before it gets too late," reminded Kate as Charlie simply nodded his head and patted me on the back. I glanced up quickly at the clock on the microwave and noticed it was already nearing nine thirty and I was tired as hell.

"Thanks for your help Edward. That wasn't nearly as painful as I had imagined," he said lowly as both women stared at us whispering in front of the sink.

"No problem Dad," I said with a laugh as he threw his dish towel at me and grabbed their coats, helping Kate into hers before he followed suit. "It was a pleasure. We'll see you guys at Thanksgiving at my parents' house in a few weeks."

"We'll definitely be there," exclaimed Kate happily as she gave Bella a farewell hug and then Bella gave one to Charlie. "I'm sure I will have this read by the time Thanksgiving rolls around. The ER at Forks General can be a lonely place some nights. Oh and don't forget to email me the details on the bachelorette party. I'm sure Esme and I can carpool into Seattle for the event."

"As soon as I get the specific details from Alice, I'll let you know. Apparently she's hiding the specifics with Jimmy Hoffa because she's not telling anyone," said Bella cheerfully. Moments later they were gone and Bella and I collapsed on the couch together. "She's alright."

"Just alright Bella? Sure you guys got off to a rocky start, but you seemed to like her which made Charlie pretty happy," I said as I grabbed a few strands of her long hair and began twirling it with my fingers. "So… about this bachelorette party?"

"I have no details Edward. I don't know when it is or where we're going. I asked Alice to make sure it was in Seattle since there's more strip clubs here than in Jackson Hole," she said with a laugh as I looked at her in surprise. Bella would never step foot into a strip joint.

"You guys are going to the peelers? Wait till I tell Emmett. Rose told him we couldn't go, so he's been wracking his brain trying to think of something else for us to do," I sad with a chuckle as Bella groaned, clearly not impressed.

"No strippers for either of us," sighed Bella as I mocked being upset when I was actually pleased that my lame plan had worked.

**A/N: So the next chapter is written and beta'd, but I am aiming for 1,600 reviews before I post... come on people, that's on 34 reviews and the** **Chapter is chock full of Esme hilarity. You heard that right... Esme hilarity... so go review and I will post the chapter after I reach 1,600!**


	38. The Pokey

**A/N: Okay, first of all… thanks to all the reviewers who got us to 1,600 reviews. That is awesome, for me. LOL This might be a long A/N. I apologize for the delay in posting too… I took my kid to play in the pool . **

**I need to thank the usual two, maggiemay14 and flightlessbird11 who encouraged this chapter and its madness more than you know. I had a vision of crazy Esme in my head and this is the outcome. I hope you all laugh as much as we did while I wrote it.**

**At the request of anabat, I have posted a playlist for this story on my profile, so go check it out. Feel free to find me on twitter, I often offer updates and info on there, some of it pointless and stupid, but fun nonetheless.**

**Kikikinz… I hope this chapter makes you feel better and your mention of pink eye totally reminds me of 'knocked up' and I hope to god no one farted on your pillow. LOL**

**I promise Renee is not a bitch for not attending the wedding. All will be explained when the wedding rolls around, so don't start putting hits out on Renee.**

**Regarding Bella's book, 'Fascinating Creatures' I have no idea what it is about. LOL. Let's ask Kate, she's reading it. Ok, seriously… it's about a psychiatrist who has fallen in love with one of her patients. It relates back to earlier in the fic where Bella and Edward were basically playing therapist to one another in Jackson Hole. Sorry it's not about bugs miss understood165.**

**Usual shout outs to my fanfic life mates, beta extraordinaire MaggieMay14 and flightlessbird11.**

**I don't own twilight, but I do own a baby name book for future chapters of American Boy and a set of brass knuckles, which I am lending to Edward, for future chapters of Love Will Come Through.**

**EPOV**

"This is so lame. I can't believe no one would allow us to go to a strip joint. It's not like we're marrying the girls, just looking," sighed Emmett as he plunked down into a seat beside me at our table in 'Bumper's' the pool parlor we were currently sitting in.

"Emmett, this is fine. I didn't really want to go the strippers, just you did," I said with a loud sigh as Jasper patted me gently on the back.

"I wanted to go," said my father as I whipped my head around and found him and Charlie laughing happily over a pitcher of MDG. "What? I'm not dead. I can look but not touch."

"Kate even gave me a wad of dollar bills. She was certain we'd be going," laughed Charlie as he pulled a small handful of singles from his pocket and smiled brightly. I groaned and buried my head in my hands, certain that tonight was going to be one to remember and not in a good way.

"What the fuck man? It's your bachelor party; shouldn't we do what we want to do? Since when are the ladies in charge of what we get to do?" asked Emmett again as I punched him lightly on the shoulder and he barely moved. Fucking brick house that guy is.

"I do not want to get into a fight with you… three… about the strippers. We're not going. I promised Bella." There was a collective groan around the table as Charlie, Emmett and Carlisle all took a drink of their beers and Charlie went to the bar to get another pitcher.

Jasper grabbed me and pulled me to the nearest pool table to start a quick game of pool while we waited for all the food Emmett had ordered to arrive. He had requested nachos, wings, chicken fingers, pizza and virtually everything that was considered a 'finger food' from their menu. I know Emmett was frustrated with himself for giving me, what he thought, was a shitty bachelor party but I had told him in advance that I was fine with doing anything. What we did didn't matter as long as I was with the guys, which is exactly what we were doing in Bumpers.

"Jasper Fucking Whitlock," I heard a voice call from the other side of the joint as the guy walked closer and Jasper held onto my shoulder, as though he was protecting me.

"Jacob Black, long time no see," remarked Jasper coolly as I balled my hands into fists involuntarily. So this was Jacob Black. I hadn't seen him since high school and my body reacted before my brain when he wandered up to us and I started to glare at him angrily. In truth, I shouldn't be mad at this guy because since he fucked up, I ended up with the most wonderful and sexy woman in the world. However, I hated how he treated Bella while they were together. She didn't deserve that. No one deserved that. "What have you been up to?"

"Oh you know, the usual shit. Have you seen Bella lately? I tried to call her a few weeks ago but her home phone was disconnected," he said calmly as he looked over at me and simply nodded his head casually, clearly having no idea who I was and that I was days away from marrying his ex-girlfriend.

"She moved," replied Jasper tensely as Jacob immediately interrupted him.

"Did she move back to Forks? My dad won't tell me anything about his conversations with Charlie anymore. I mean, fuck, I cheated on her, we broke up… whatever… water under the bridge and shit. I just want to talk to her," sighed Jacob, clearly frustrated with his lack of contact with my Bella. Of course, if I had anything to say about it, he would never talk to her again.

"You probably just want to yell at her and call her slut like you did on Christmas night," I said firmly to Jacob as he perked his eye brow and looked at me curiously. I wanted to punch the smug grin off of his face, until Emmett showed up behind me and held my other shoulder tightly, reminding me immediately that I didn't need a black eye for my wedding. I wasn't sure who would be more upset if I came back battered and bruised, Alice or my mother.

"Who the fuck are you?" asked Jacob as I grinned easily at him.

"Edward Cullen. Fiancée of Bella Swan," I said cheerfully as I politely extended my hand out to him as confidently as possible and he looked at me and grimaced. I was being a cocky son of a bitch and I didn't care.

"You're marrying my Bella?" he asked incredulously as Jasper and Emmett moved between us slightly, clearly expecting some sort of fight to go down.

"Actually, she stopped being yours the moment she found you fucking some chick on HER couch. She's mine now… and always," I replied back snidely. I could tell by the expression on his face that Jacob was pissed.

"You're not married yet," snapped Jacob as I reached my hand up, eager to punch him in the jaw.

"Fuck you," I spit back at him.

Charlie wandered over a minute later and grabbed Jacob's arm, pulling him away from me. "I thought you were on my side Charlie," yelled Jacob as Charlie pulled him towards the other side of the pool hall.

"Perhaps if you didn't treat my daughter like shit, I would be on your side. I'm on Team Edward now, Jacob." I could hear Jacob yelling at Charlie on the far side of the place. Asking him when we got engaged, how she could so quickly give up on him and Charlie, god bless him, was actually taking my side and trying to explain that if Jacob hadn't cheated on Bella it could have been them getting married. A few minutes later, Charlie wandered over alone and patted me on the shoulder.

"Food's here," he said easily as two waitresses covered our table with the food Emmett had ordered and I tried my best to focus on eating, all the while keeping my eyes focused on Jacob. He was playing pool with some friends of his that arrived shortly after our little… encounter, but he also kept a close watch on our table.

Jasper and I played a few rounds of pool and were challenged by Charlie and Carlisle, who were surprisingly good. I found out later in the evening that they were also well versed in poker, thanks to their new ritual of getting together and hanging out on Monday nights. Awww… the dad's were best friends, I laughed to myself as I watched Emmett stroll off to the bathroom awkwardly.

"Emmett is cut off when he gets back," I said forcefully as Jasper nodded his head in agreement. I hadn't noticed how much Emmett had to drink, but it was clearly more than he should have.

"Oh, come on, he's just having fun," said my father with a laugh and I nodded my head back him.

"Dad's cut off too."

I looked up a few minutes later and saw and saw Emmett deep in conversation with Jacob just outside the men's room door. I was on the verge of standing up to bust up their love fest when Emmett started walking back to our table and Jacob wandered over to his friends, leaving the bar shortly thereafter.

"Did you ask him to leave?" asked Charlie suspiciously. It turns out he was also keeping an eye out on Jacob during the evening.

"No. He heard me talking to Rosalie on the phone. They're at some club called 'Cathouse' or something like that. Anyways, he asked if he could talk to Alice on the phone and I refused him. Nothing serious went down," sighed Emmett as he sat back down and tried to grab his drink, only to have it pulled back by Jasper, our designated driver for the evening.

"What the fuck man?" Emmett asked angrily as Carlisle looked at him disapprovingly for cursing.

"Emmett, did he hear you say where the girls were?" I asked, hopeful that Jacob hadn't heard that tiny detail. I could only imagine what was running through his mind the moment he found out Bella and I were getting married.

"I don't remember," he replied in frustration as he glared at Jasper who was pushing a glass of water towards him. "Let's go to the strippers."

**BPOV**

"This is absolutely ridiculous," I said as Alice pulled the t-shirt over my head that read 'Future Mrs. Cullen' in small letters. "I thought you got rid of your Bedazzler in high school Alice?"

"Shut up," she replied, embarrassed that I called her out for owning one in the first place. Alice ran around the apartment in a hurry since we were already late to meet everyone else at 'Cathouse' a new bar and I apparently wasn't dressed appropriately. Once she squeezed me into a small skirt and did my hair into some childish looking pig tails, I reluctantly let her drag me out of the apartment and into the cab she had waiting.

Twenty minutes later, we were comfortably seated within a booth beside the dance floor as Esme and Kate wandered back from the bar, each of them carrying a tray of shots in test tubes. "The bartender assures us these are delicious," said Kate as she sat down and pushed the tray towards us. There were a dozen shots on each tray and I didn't even want to think about how much they had just paid for the booze.

Rosalie had offered to be the designated driver for the evening and Kate, Charlie, Carlisle and Esme had reserved rooms at a hotel not far from our apartment, so the only people Rosalie had to worry about getting home were me, Alice, Angela and Hannah, my new book editor. "We'd like to give a big Cathouse shout out to Bella, who is getting married in a few days and is celebrating with her friends here tonight," said the DJ on the overhead speakers as I blushed. "This songs for you Bella."

I giggled madly as the first words to 'Hot in Here' by Nelly poured from the speakers and I smacked Alice upside her head, knowing full well this was because of her. "Okay, we have presents," said Rosalie excitedly as they each pulled out a gift bag filled with tissue paper.

I quickly opened the first bag and found three g-strings. "Esme, what the hell?" I asked in surprise as she laughed and downed another shot. I think that was shot number four, so I knew I would be keeping an eye on her tonight.

"Oh Bella, relax. I'm sure you don't wear cotton granny panties around Edward. Let me just think for one night that he isn't my son, okay?" she asked sincerely as I smiled and hugged her awkwardly for her gift of underwear. The rest of the gifts were no better. Alice gave me a set of crotch less panties and a bra that had slits in the center of the breasts, for easy access to the nipples. Rosalie gave me furry handcuffs and some sort of lotion that appeared to be edible, but the worst was Kate, who gave me a pink rabbit vibrator for 'the nights when Edward can't get it up' she explained as I buried my head in my hands.

"He probably doesn't have that issue. Carlisle never does," remarked Esme as she downed another shot.

"Fuck mother, I don't want to hear about your sex life with dad," stammered Alice nervously as we both blushed profusely.

"Fine Alice, but you know what… there are women out there who are forced to rely on battery operated toys at my age. I am counting my lucky stars your father and I do it as often as we do," said Esme confidently as she held up four fingers to Rosalie and me and mouthed 'four times a week'. Wow, way too much information on my future in-laws.

"Mother," yelled out Alice as Rosalie and I giggled profusely and then her cell phone started ringing.

"Damned Emmett, he can't handle two fricking hours away from me," she said cheerfully as she stood up from the end of our booth and headed towards a quieter spot in the club to handle her phone call. When she came back five minutes later, she didn't look as happy as she had when she left. "So, the boys ran into a spot of trouble."

"Did Charlie pull some good cop bad cop shit with Edward?" asked Kate with a grin as Rosalie shook her head.

"No, they ran into Jacob." I turned white as a ghost. Edward had never had the pleasure of meeting my ex-boyfriend, so I was certain this wasn't going to end well. I grabbed a blue shot and downed it, not even caring what the hell was in the tube. "Emmett said there was no fighting, although he thought that it might get to that before the night was over."

Fuck. I downed another shot. "Bella, pace yourself sweetie," laughed Esme. "Jasper won't let anything happen to Edward's face for the wedding photos." Damned, she had to be plastered if she thought my first concern was Edward's face. "Let's go dance and not worry about anything," she added as she grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the dance floor. I was certain Esme didn't know this song but she danced anyways while Alice, Rosalie and I danced around happily to the Framing Hanley version of 'Lollipop', with huge smiles on our faces.

I watched as Esme ordered another tray of shots from our waiter, Chris, and then pinched his ass as he walked away. My future mother in law was harassing our waiter, holy shit. I had no idea she had it in her, I thought to myself as I walked over to the table and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, bringing her back onto the dance floor. I was hoping that Esme would sweat out some of the alcohol that was coursing through her system, but as I would find out later in the evening, even though Esme had a low tolerance for alcohol, it made her aggressive as hell.

I was in the middle of the dance floor as 'Womanizer' by Britney Spears came overhead and I saw my worst nightmare walk in… Jacob Black. "What the fuck is he doing here?" I grumbled as Alice grasped my hand and pulled me back, but I just shook my head at her. "You have two minutes to talk and then I want you to walk back out the door and fuck the hell off," I stammered as Jacob stood in front of me stoically.

He grabbed my arm and led me to a quiet spot at the back of the club. "Why didn't you tell me you were getting married?" he asked as he leaned over me, my back against the wall. I looked behind him and noticed Alice was now chatting away on her cell phone, most likely to Jasper to let him know what was going on.

"It's none of your business Jacob. You gave up the right to know about my life the moment you slept with whoever the fuck she was on my couch," I yelled angrily as his hands rested on either side of my head against the wall, effectively keeping me in place.

"I'm sorry about that. I've been trying to get in touch with you for weeks," he said, his voice laced with sadness, which I didn't give a shit about.

"Listen, you coming here isn't going to make a difference in my life. We broke up a year ago and there is no way in hell we are getting back together, we were not meant to be. I'm marrying Edward in a few days and that's all there is to it," I stammered in response as I pushed against his chest, but he didn't move. "Go home Jacob."

"My home is with you," he said sadly as I felt the urge to kick him in the nuts.

"Well, my old apartment is free for the taking… go there. In fact, from my old bedroom you can see Edward and I's bedroom. Perhaps one night when you are feeling like shit, you'll look out the window and see Edward fucking me against the glass of our window. Did I mention he really knows how to please a woman?" I pushed against his chest again, hoping that my spiteful words to him would piss him off enough to leave me alone but as I tried to get free from him, but he leaned down and kissed me. His hand gripped the back of my neck and he tried to pull me closer to him when we were suddenly pulled apart thankfully.

"Holy fuck," I yelled out when I looked up and found my future mother in law firmly planted on Jacob's back, his head within her arms. She looked like she was giving him a noogie, her hands firmly entrenched in his long dark hair and he moved around, trying to get her off of his back. Fuck it was funny as hell to see Esme refuse to give up her hold on Jacob.

"Does Esme have Jacob in a headlock?" asked Rosalie as she came over to inspect the situation, followed by two burly bouncers who were trying to pull Esme off of Jacob, halfheartedly because they also found the situation hilarious.

"Keep your fucking paws and lips off of my daughter," yelled Esme as the bouncers pulled her to the ground and she then took the opportunity to kick Jacob swiftly in the nuts.

"Ouch," we all commented as Jacob put his hand over the family jewels and shielded them from Esme's wrath. As Esme was pulled outside, we all followed closely and Jacob kept screaming about pressing charges, which made Esme more vengeful. I glanced over at Alice, who was still on the phone, her hands flailing around wildly, no doubt explaining to her boyfriend how her mother was being carted off to jail for assaulting Jacob.

"Press charges you little bitch," she yelled at him, spurring him on. We waited outside for a few moments, Esme restrained by the bouncers who were laughing that Jacob was getting his ass handed to him by a forty eight year old woman. "You being a man whore was the best thing that ever happened to my family," she shouted across to Jacob who was fuming and glaring at her angrily. The police arrived moments later and Esme was cuffed and placed into the back of the cruiser, with a wide smile on her face, clearly proud of herself. This was certainly a memorable night.

"What precinct are you taking her to?" Rosalie asked the cop before he moved to get back into the car. He explained where we were going and she quickly stepped over to Alice and grabbed her cell phone, explaining to Jasper where we were going. "Alright ladies, get in the happy wagon," called Rosalie as she motioned to the mini-van she had rented for the evening. "We're off to get Esme out of the pokey."

**EPOV**

"Where do you think Jacob went?"I asked Jasper as we racked the balls for another round of pool.

"I don't give a fuck man. He's gone, let just try to enjoy this before Emmett forces us all to go see some skanky ladies peel their clothes off," sighed Jasper as we played a few more rounds of pool and his phone started to vibrate in his pocket. "Hi Alice," he grumbled as we walked back towards the table where the drunken threesome looked at him curiously.

"Who the heck is Esme riding?" yelled Jasper in shock as he raised his hand to his mouth and my father was suddenly furious. Apparently he was allowed to go to the strippers, but she hadn't been approved to ride anyone. "Alice, calm down and speak slowly."

"What the fuck is going on?" asked my father as he tapped his finger angrily against the table.

"Ok, Jacob showed up at the club and Esme just kicked him in the nuts," laughed Jasper as I stood up, followed by Carlisle and Charlie, all of us eager to get to the bar they were currently at. "Did you just say Jacob was pressing charges?" asked Jasper as he stood up, his hands running through his hair nervously. My father called our waitress over and quickly handed her his credit card, informing her that we had to be leaving immediately. She ran back to the cash and ran through the card, my father following closely behind to sign the credit card slip.

When Carlisle returned, he looked at Jasper expectantly, who was pacing beside the pool table a few feet away from us. When Jasper closed his cell phone a few minutes later, he had a wide grin on his face. "It appears we are off to the East Precinct, where Esme has been taken. She has been arrested for assault because she jumped on Jacob's back, got him into a headlock while verbally and physically assaulting him for kissing Bella," laughed Jasper as I felt my hands ball into fists again.

"I'll kill him," snapped Charlie as he took one last swig of his beer from the table and put his coat on.

"Can I go first?" I asked politely as Charlie nodded his head and smiled; apparently pleased I had nicely asked to beat up a friend of his family.

"Anyways, Esme also kicked him in the nuts and fought with the bouncers a bit, so she's on her way to the clink. Rosalie said she wasn't sure how much bail would be, but requested that we come down to help out," continued Jasper between his fits of giggles.

"Whoever would have thought Esme had it in her," added Charlie as we strolled out towards the parking lot and we all got into Jasper's car, albeit a little squished.

"Esme has a wild streak in her," explained Carlisle as I heard him groan from the backseat where he was lodged between Emmett and Charlie. "When she drinks, she gets a bit aggressive and very combative. I'm surprised Jacob only got kicked in the balls."

The tension in the car was palpable as we drove off towards the police precinct, with Emmett still complaining about how we should be allowed to go the strippers after the night was over. As we pulled into the parking lot, we noticed Kate, Rosalie and Angela pacing outside in the cold night air. "Where is my little Rocky?"

"She's inside being fingerprinted and photographed," laughed Rosalie as Carlisle and I bounded up the stairs and into the station. Bella and Alice were sitting in some seats against the wall, staring at the clock, both of them looking apologetic. When Bella saw me, her face fell slightly and I was beyond confused.

"I am so sorry. I didn't kiss him, I swear. He kissed me and then your mother launched herself from a chair onto his back and… fuck, this night didn't turn out anywhere near what I expected." Bella finally stopped talking and I grasped the back of her head, kissing her passionately to let her know I wasn't mad. When we finally broke apart, at Alice's insistence, we were both out of breath.

"I'm not upset. I know you wouldn't kiss Jacob if he was the last man on earth, so don't worry," I explained as she wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me close to her. "Nice shirt by the way," I whispered in her ear as I tugged on the t-shirt she was wearing. "You can keep that on when I fuck you later," I whispered quietly as I licked her ear lobe teasingly.

"When can I see my wife?" I heard my father ask the officer behind the main desk, who sorted through some paperwork and looked up at him with a smile.

"Cullen right? Your wife is the one who gave the beat down to the tall Indian fellow? She'll be ready to go in about twenty minutes, barring any unforeseen incidences," explained Officer Griffey as I looked at him curiously.

"What would define an unforeseen incidence?" I asked anxiously.

"Well, she's apparently being a little belligerent to the female officer who is currently assisting her. She may need to go into the drunk tank for the night," he said with a laugh as my father smacked himself on the forehead in frustration.

"Is it possible she can be released without the drunk tank. I mean, she's an upstanding citizen, does charitable work and has never been arrested before," I asked of the Officer as I noticed everyone else wander in and gather in the waiting area with us.

"Actually sir, she was arrested almost twenty five years ago for lewd acts in public," said the Officer with a grin as I looked at my dad, who looked like the cat who ate the canary.

"What? We were young… cut us some slack," he laughed as we saw Esme wander through the hallway near us, her face lighting up when she saw my father. She turned towards the policewoman, who escorted her towards us, both of them laughing happily, clearly getting along now.

"Carlisle thank god you are here," she said sweetly as my father hugged her gently and the officer pulled her back, away from him.

"It talks," he said with a drunken smile as Emmett and Rosalie wandered up beside us.

"Yeah, it's getting her to shut up, that's the trick," laughed Officer Jensen. "She's been processed and bail is set at fifteen hundred bucks. If you take care of it immediately with Officer Griffey, she can be released shortly." A collective sigh of relief went through the group as Carlisle stepped up to the main desk and whipped out his black AMEX card casually.

As we took our seats to await her release, Jacob walked through the station and was immediately tense when he saw our group waiting for my mother. "Did you get arrested too Black?" I asked smugly as he stopped and stared at me, his face burning with anger.

"Apparently kissing someone who is unwilling is considered sexual assault," he replied irritably as he stared at Bella, who was beaming happily, apparently very proud of herself for pressing charges against Jacob.

"I'll drop the charges if you drop yours against Esme," she snapped at him as he reluctantly nodded his head. Bella stood up and explained to Officer Griffey that the charges were being dropped, which relieved everyone in the group.

"I didn't mean for all of this to happen Bella. I just wanted to talk to you, talk you out of marrying this asshole," sighed Jacob as I walked up beside Bella and wrapped my arm possessively around her shoulder.

"Jacob, grow up. I'm not with you and I won't change my mind. Edward is what I want," she stated firmly as he signed a few forms that Officer Griffey gave him and he walked out of the precinct dejectedly.

"That was so much fun. Why don't I get arrested more often?" beamed my mother when she was finally released and hugging my father tightly.

"Since we're not allowed to go the strippers? How about we get my babies home," asked Emmett as we all looked at him curiously and Rosalie smacked him upside the head.

"Shut the hell up Emmett. You are such a drunken mess," she said in frustration as Emmett looked at her remorsefully.

"I'm sorry baby; I didn't want to let the cat out of the bag. You know I have no inner monologue when I'm drunk," he sighed as she hugged him gently. I looked down at Bella and both of us seemed to be putting the pieces of the puzzle together at the same time.

"Are you guys pregnant?" shouted out Bella as we walked down the steps of the police station and were met with silence from Rosalie and Emmett.

"Yup. My swimmers are apparently strong little bastards," said Emmett proudly as several of us groaned at the image he had presented us with.

"Shut your pie hole Emmett. It's an unexpected surprise, but a welcome one," said Rosalie genuinely as my parents wrapped them into a big hug, followed by Alice and Jasper and then Bella and me.

As I stood there, surrounded by my friends and family in the parking lot of the police station where my mother was just bailed out of jail for beating the shit out of my future wife's ex-boyfriend, I couldn't help but smile cheerfully. This wasn't how the night was supposed to go, but I wasn't complaining. In fact, everything felt oddly perfect. "Let's go home."


	39. Memories and Surprises

**A/N: So first of all… you all need to put me on author alert. I posted an outtake yesterday 'Esme After the Pokey' and most of you probably didn't see it cause you only have me on story alert… so come on people… hop to it. I know you all loved Drunken Esme since I got my most reviews ever for one chapter. So go read the outtake (which was requested by the awesome grtchn and Jules0427) and leave me some loving. Then add me to author alert, because I've already started work on another story, not yet posted.**

**Phew… secondly… I have a story rec. It's called Intersection by Lillybellis. It's a WIP but very interesting. I've also added it to the C2 – Underappreciated yet Awesome Fics. While you're at it, join that group too!**

**Finally… Big thanks to the usual two, MaggieMay14 and Flightlessbird11 for encouraging my madness and my smut. I am a smut encourager and the new pictures of Robert Pattinson wet from US Weekly are definitely helping. Oh… congrats to lysvia one of my faithful readers who had a baby a week ago. You go girl!**

**I don't own twilight… I do have an unhealthy addiction to Diet Pepsi. **

**BPOV**

"Come on Bella, get up babe," Edward called to me as I pulled the blankets tighter over my head after looking at the alarm clock. It was four in the god damned morning. What the hell was he thinking? Oh that's right… it's a fourteen fucking hour drive down to Jackson Hole and he wants to get there as soon as possible. "Please… we only get a few days of privacy there before the family shows up."

I threw the blanket off of me and tossed my legs over the side of the bed reluctantly. "I'm up," I grumbled as I wandered towards the bathroom. Edward started the hot water in the shower for me before running into the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee. When I finally came out of the bathroom, towel wrapped tightly around my hair and body, Edward was already standing but the front door, our luggage perched beside him and two huge travel mugs of coffee ready to go.

"A little eager are we?" I asked as I walked into our bedroom and began dressing in the casual outfit I had picked out the night before when we were packing. Edward paced around our bedroom aimlessly as I pulled on my jeans and he looked at me as though I was holding up the line for the bathroom and he desperately had to go.

"We only get a few days of solitude before Alice, Jasper and my parents show up. Don't you want to relax before the biggest day of our lives?" I nodded my head in agreement and yanked Edward's old college sweatshirt over my head. "I figured I would drive until we stop for lunch and then you could take over till dinner. If we alternate shifts, we can get there before it's too late."

"We're driving it all in one day?" I asked incredulously as he simply nodded his head.

"If we leave now, we should get there before eight. I already called the caretakers a few days ago and they stocked the fridge and assured me everything would be in good working order," stated Edward as I nodded at him and reluctantly grabbed my winter coat from the closet.

"Let's go."

Edward grabbed the coffee mugs and handed them to me as he grabbed all of our luggage and wheeled them down to the car. Five minutes later and we were on the road out of Seattle and closer to the scene of the crime. We ended up stopping in Spokane for a bathroom / coffee break and then had lunch in Missoula just after one. I managed to get a few hours sleep during the drive between Spokane and Missoula and I hoped Edward would manage a little himself when I took over driving duties, but I could sense he was way too excited to get to Jackson Hole.

As expected, it was just before eight at night when we pulled into the driveway of the cabin. Edward had taken over the driving duties from me after only three hours of driving, when we pulled off into a rest area for a bathroom break. He was speeding the rest of the way there, eager for us to get to our final destination. We stopped in Idaho Falls for a quick dinner at Subway, before finally heading off for the last leg. "Nothing has changed," I remarked happily as I opened my door and stepped onto the snow covered ground.

"I beg to differ. A lot has changed. You don't hate me anymore," laughed Edward as we climbed the steps onto the porch and he fumbled while unlocking the door.

"Why so nervous Mr. Cullen?" I asked with a grin as he threw the door open and lifted me up into his arms, carrying me over the threshold. "Put me down, we're not married yet."

He carried me into the house, kicking the door shut behind him with his foot as he put me onto the stairs and began ripping my clothes off. "I have wanted to do something to you all fucking day," he muttered as I felt him yank off my shoes, jeans and panties as quickly as he could.

"What is that? Freeze me to death?" I asked with a laugh as Edward jumped from his spot and turned up the thermostat. He wasn't even paying attention so I was certain that in a few minutes we'd both be melting.

"No… I didn't want to freeze you to death. I wanted to reciprocate…" I was beyond confused at his comments until he lifted me up onto another step and spread my legs open, his tongue immediately finding purchase on my eager clit.

"Sweet Jesus…" I moaned as I felt his fingers moving slowly down my inner thighs and he continued his manipulations of me with his tongue before finally adding his fingers to the mix. As he began to thrust his fingers inside of my pussy, I leaned back on my elbows against one of the steps and tried to remember how the fuck I got so lucky as to have him pleasing me right now. After mere moments I finally recalled the blow job I had given him last year on these very stairs as a treat for him helping me learn to figure skate. "Oh fuck… so damned good."

Edward didn't respond to my comments, instead his entire mouth descended on my clit and he was sucking it furiously while spreading my legs wider apart. Within minutes, I was screaming his name as loud as I could muster as I came all over his talented tongue and fingers. "That was unexpected," I muttered as he helped me up from the step and I kissed him sweetly, my juices still lingering in his mouth.

"I'd apologize but you know I'm not sorry. I remembered the time you umm… serviced me against the stairs and decided if we were going to do something there, might as well do it as soon as we got here. I'm gonna go get the luggage, please continue to get naked," he laughed as I noticed I still had on my clothes from the waist up and he wandered out the front door. I pulled on my jeans, forgoing the panties and turned down the thermostat before I stepped over to the fireplace where I lit a fire while awaiting Edward's return to the cabin.

"Aww… I thought you'd be naked," laughed Edward as he wandered into the cabin, weighed down by all of our baggage.

"Sorry to disappoint you but we have a few more days to enjoy the quiet, so don't get your boxers in a knot." I walked towards him and grabbed one of the bags, dragging it up the stairs behind me and into his old bedroom. Edward followed close at my heels bringing the rest of the luggage with him.

"Hey look, there's my book. I was pissed I forgot to bring it back to Forks with me last year," exclaimed Edward as he picked his weathered copy of 'To Kill A Mockingbird' off the floor. "Surely I can finish it this time now that you'll be swamped with wedding preparations."

I started to pull some of my clothes out of my bag and placed them away in the dresser as best as I could while Edward started to hang things in the closet, including his suit for the wedding. "Where's your dress?"

"Alice is bringing it when she comes. She's like Fort Knox with that thing. I don't even think she has let Jasper see it," I remarked with a chuckle as Edward nodded his head, knowing all too well how his sister can be.

Once we were unpacked, we got changed into our pajamas and hunkered down on the couch with some hot chocolate and cookies. I felt fifteen again, with the exception of that I was getting married in a few days. "Would it be weird if we played another round of 'would you rather?" I asked him with a wide grin as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed my temple.

"Would it be weird if I thought it would be funny as hell?" he asked sweetly. I shook my head from side to side and he smiled cheerfully. "Alright then, you go first."

"Would you rather have waffles or eggs in the morning for breakfast?" I asked stupidly as I heard Edward laugh loudly beside me.

"Waffles. Would you rather give up cheese or oral sex for the rest of your life?" he giggled as I smacked him on the shoulder.

"That's not fair Edward; you know I love cheese and when you go down on me… quick side question, what kind of cheese?"

"Whatever Bella… you'd so give up cheese rather than oral sex," chastised Edward as I smiled up at him and kissed his cheek.

"Yeah… I'd give up the cheese. Would you rather walk in on your parents having sex or rent a porno and realize that they were in it?" I asked boldly as I heard him choke on his hot chocolate for a moment.

"Neither… fuck Bella. Since you will make me choose, I would rather walk in on them. I guess I don't want everyone in the free world watching my parents hump like bunnies," he said awkwardly.

"Awww… how cute. Caring about the parents' sex lives," I said with a laugh as I told him what his mother had mentioned to me about how they did it four times a week. "A little too much of an overshare huh?"

"Yeah, you could say that," he grumbled as he took a big bite of his mint Milano and thought up a new question. "Would you rather walk in on me jerking off to a porno or your dad going at it with Kate?"

"First of all… the second half of that is just gross and I think I might need to switch to Jameson's to rid my mind of that image," I stated firmly as I suddenly straddled him and took his face in my hands gently. "Secondly, if I came home and you were jerking off to a porno… you better let me play too." I leaned forward and kissed his lips firmly, feeling his tongue snake along my bottom lip and grinding my hips down on his now obvious erection.

"You are the devil Miss Swan."

"Mrs. Cullen to you," I replied confidently as I heard him groan happily under my touch. "Would you rather have sex here on the couch or outside in the hot tub?"

"Are talking right this second, because then I would say the couch," said Edward with a groan as I moved my body slightly over his hardness. "Are you teasing me?"

"Not at all Mr. Cullen," I lied as he leaned forward and kissed my neck for a few moments before he leaned back, preparing to ask me another question.

"Would you prefer I subscribed to Penthouse or Hustler?" he said with a giggle as I smacked him upside the head.

"Obviously neither one is preferable. Can I say Playboy cause they aren't as smutty and have funny interviews," I replied as Edward quirked his eye brow at my curiously. "What? Jacob subscribed and I read a few interviews when there was nothing else to read, sue me."

Edward nodded his head before leaning down wordlessly and sucking my neck. I grabbed his hair firmly in my hands and pulled him back from me. "Don't you dare leave a fucking hickey on my neck Edward. We aren't fifteen and it would definitely show in my wedding dress. I wouldn't dare wear one of those high necked disasters from an Austen movie."

"Whatever," he said with a sigh as he pulled his lips from my neck and looked at me, patiently awaiting my next question.

"Would you rather we had a sex swing in our bedroom or one of those funky love ramps?" I asked with a loud laugh, throwing my head back and grinding on him again in the process.

"You would seriously consider one of those? Is this a trick question? Can we try both?" he stammered nervously as I simply laughed, knowing full well I would never get up the guts to buy either.

"I was kidding sweetie," I said as I kissed his lips sweetly and Edward looked at me with disappointment in his eyes. I glanced up at the clock in the kitchen and noticed it was getting pretty late and I was getting exhausted. "Let's go to bed."

"With a love ramp?" he asked with a giggle as he gripped my ass firmly with his hands and stood from the couch, bringing me with him. I tightened my legs around his waist to keep me in place and kept my hands around his neck so that I wouldn't slip and fall.

After a few minutes of awkwardly trudging ourselves up the stairs, we finally ended up in our bedroom where Edward and I both proceeded to get naked and climb into bed. I figured sex would be inevitable, but surprisingly, he pulled me against his body and nuzzled his face into my hair, breathing deeply.

"I think we should set some ground rules for the next few days," he said with a low chuckle as I remembered the rules we set during our first visit which barely lasted a few hours.

"Like what?" I asked with a giggle as I laid my head on his chest and listened to his heart beat.

"Well… one is that we have to be having sex at all times of the day unless it is mutually agreed upon to be apart. Two, you can't complain if I opt to bring you breakfast in bed or cook every single meal if I choose. Three, no clothing." I smacked him on the chest, even though I thought they were all decent ideas. I could handle not wearing clothes for a few days while in his company. "Agreed?"

"Fine," I said with a wide grin that I knew Edward couldn't see. "Now let's get some sleep. I'm fucking exhausted."

**EPOV**

"What on earth do you think you are doing?" shouted Bella from our bed as I stood up and moved to pull up the boxers that I had left on the floor the night before.

"Getting dressed," I said coolly as she shook her finger at me.

"Not bloody likely. Rule number three… if I don't get to wear clothes, neither do you." Well, she had me there. We hadn't specified who wouldn't be wearing clothes but I guess I won't be cooking any bacon for breakfast. Lord knows I don't need any splatter on my junk.

"Alright, but you're going to get toast and juice for breakfast because I am not cooking with my pecker hanging out. Stay put," I grumbled as I leaned down to kiss her while she sat up in bed.

"Put on an apron. I'm craving eggs and bacon," she said happily as I saluted her and stepped from the room and down the stairs.

I hurried as quickly as I could while making breakfast and thankfully Bella stayed put in our bed, as I had asked. When I finally had everything put onto a small tray and brought it up the stairs, I wasn't shocked to see Bella had fallen back to sleep. No wonder she wasn't coming downstairs to harass me or pinch my bare ass while I slaved away in the kitchen. I put everything on top of the dresser and slowly climbed onto the bed, peeling the bed sheet away from her body with my teeth as I began to pepper kisses from the tips of her toes up to her lips. As my hand dipped between her legs and I slipped two fingers between her wet folds, she immediately stirred.

"Wake up beautiful," I mumbled to her as she tried to roll over slightly, but found my body was preventing that.

"Mmm… I smell bacon," she murmured as I laughed at her.

"My fingers are buried in your pussy and you are concerned about bacon?" I asked with a loud laugh as I leaned back onto my knees, my fingers now back at my side.

"The bacon will get cold Edward. I won't." True enough, I thought happily as I jumped from the bed and fetched our breakfast. We sat side by side, against the headboard and talked casually about wedding plans while we ate. Bella was nervous about having everything go off without a hitch, so I had to keep reminding her that this was a small family wedding and they didn't really give a shit what happened as long as we were happy.

"So, what's on the agenda today? Need to make an underwear run to Target?" I asked with a laugh as she looked at me incredulously.

"You knew about that?"

"I guessed. I mean, if I was in your shoes I wouldn't have brought any sexy lingerie to Jackson Hole either. Although, since you left the tag on one of the bras you wore, it kind of gave it away," I said as I continued to laugh and Bella was suddenly beating against my chest in mock anger.

"You suck Edward."

"You love it Bella." She nodded her head as I moved the tray from across her lap and pulled all the blankets off of her. "Time for dessert."

This is how the next three days went. We slept, we ate, we showered, we fucked. We were like the world's happiest skipping record of debauchery. Every now and then, Bella would take a wedding related phone call or check her email on her laptop; all naked of course, which made me the happiest man alive.

The third night, we made love in front of the fireplace after spending part of the afternoon pulling out some of our Christmas decorations from last year out of storage. Bella pranced around the living room and decorated while I whipped up spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. I couldn't help but find myself laughing as she sang along to 'Christmas Wrapping' by the Waitresses and danced. She was perfect.

"When is everyone else supposed to get here?" I called out to her as I started to boil the water for the pasta.

"I think Alice said Thursday night," she replied quickly. "But I honestly can't remember. I think in the past few days you managed to fuck out my short term memory."

"That's medically impossible Bella… but thank you for the compliment," I said with a wide grin as I walked into the living room and watched as she stood on her tip toes and tried to hang some decorations on the mantle. The moment I saw her arms stretched over her head, I knew I had to have her, all rational thought ran out the window. However, what could you honestly expect from two soon to be married people who had spent the last three days completely naked.

I walked right up behind her and gripped her hips in my hands, my hard cock now pressed firmly against her tight ass. "I'm trying to decorate Edward," she scolded as I ignored her completely and grabbed the fake swag of pine she was trying to drape over the fireplace, throwing it on the ground as I led her towards the couch.

I sat down and Bella quickly straddled my waist, knowing exactly what I wanted as she buried my hard cock within her. "Oh fuck yes…" I strained as Bella gripped the edge of the couch behind me and began sliding up and down on me without any pleading from me. "So fucking perfect," I groaned as her breasts caught my attention and I reached my hands up, squeezing them tenderly as I heard Bella moaning in pleasure above me.

I leaned forward and kissed wherever I could, as Bella's motions on me sped up. You'd think after all the time we had fucked in the past few days that I would be eager for a rest, but I couldn't do it. The more I thought of our family arriving for the wedding and basically cock blocking me for five fucking days, the more I wanted to fuck her, make love to her and simply claim her as mine without the wedding band.

Five more thrusts into her and we were both moaning in ecstasy and I caught my water boiling on the stove out the corner of my eye. "Fucking shit," I groaned as Bella quickly hopped off of me and I ran into the kitchen to turn the water down. I tossed the pasta into the pot and ran back over to my fiancé, kissing her gently since I felt like shit for basically throwing her off of me the moment we had finished.

"Sorry about that," I groaned as she laughed at me and went back to the fake pine swag lying on the floor.

"Don't worry about it. Shit happens," she said with a giggle as I helped her with the decorating for a few moments before heading back to finish dinner.

An hour later, we were both completely fed and kind of cold after spending the entire trip in the nude. "Did you want to hang out in the hot tub for a bit?" she asked curiously with a wink, which I took to mean she wanted to get busy in there as well.

"How about I get dessert ready and then we step outside?" I replied as she simply nodded her head and went over to the couch to continue reading the latest book that she found in my bedroom, 'Sons and Lovers' by D.H. Lawrence. I don't even remember owning that one.

Twenty minutes later, we were slipping into the hot bubbling water as I set the bowl of chocolate covered strawberries on the edge of the tub. "How cliché," laughed Bella as she looked at the berries I had the caretakers get at the grocery store before we arrived.

"Don't mock them. It was either this is or a fruit cup. The Safeway down in Jackson Hole isn't exactly as wonderful as that little pastry shop you drag my ass into every Sunday morning," I said with a hearty laugh as I tried to feed her one of the strawberries and pulled it away quickly when she opened her mouth to accept it. "Apologize first," I said as I teased her with it, running it along her lips but never letting her eat it.

"I'm sorry," she said pathetically as I felt her hand wrap around my hardness, catching me completely off guard, so that she could take a huge bite out of the strawberry.

"Sneak," I chastised as she shrugged her shoulders and moved closer to me in the tub, quickly straddling my waist and reaching in front of her to grab a berry for me. I opened my mouth wide as she dangled the berry before me, seductively tracing my lips with it and kissing me before finally letting me have a taste. "Are you going to tease me all night Mrs. Cullen?"

"Edward, you should know better… it's not teasing if I fully intend to follow through," she snickered as I suddenly felt my cock buried inside of her again as she fed me strawberries.

"How on earth are we going to top these three days on our honeymoon?" I asked seriously after a few minutes of ecstasy as she suddenly stopped riding me and looked at me, her eyes burning with desire.

"Easy. We'll never leave our bed," she said as she grasped my face in her hands and began kissing me furiously on the lips, followed my several more small pecks across my face as she began moving up and down on my hardness again. "You'll just have to make love to me every second of every day that we are… wherever we go."

"Oh fuck," I muttered as she slipped off of me and gave me an evil glare. She bent over the tub in front of me, her knees on the bench and her ass in the air, motioning for me to come and get her, which I did as quickly as I could. I stood up and positioned myself right behind her, driving into her pussy as hard as I could. "Fuck Bella," I groaned as I gripped her hips and began to thrust in and out of her.

"Oh shit, so fucking good Edward… fuck me," she growled as I continued to bury myself in her, my release imminent. Mere minutes later, I could hear Bella's breathing become labored as she screamed my name out in the cold night air. Her body tensed around my cock, spurring on my own release as I leaned forward and dropped my chest against her back, my arms now wrapped tightly around her.

"Holy fuck," I heard a familiar voice yell as we both turned our heads up to see Alice and Jasper standing in the doorway of the cabin leading out onto the porch. They both looked completely dumbfounded and I was immediately pissed that I hadn't locked the front door before we came outside. However, I was slightly relived to know that the position of my arm was covering up most of Bella to their view, but completely fucking mortified to have been caught fucking in the hot tub.

"Umm… can you go get us some towels or bathrobes Alice," said Bella calmly as neither of us moved, unsure of what to do. Alice bolted out from the patio and up the stairs while Jasper just stood there, frozen in place and looking completely shocked. When she returned moments later, Alice dropped the bathrobes on the chair just outside the door and tried to pull Jasper back in the house.

"Do you think they are stuck like that? They haven't moved in a while," I heard him ask her as she shut the door behind them and Bella and I were finally able to step out of the tub and get out bathrobes on. I made sure both of our bathrobes were secured tightly before we walked in the house.

"Sorry about that," I muttered to them as they stared at us wide eyed. "We thought you were coming on Thursday."

"Is is Thursday. If you weren't telling time with your pecker, you'd know this," muttered Alice as she slapped her hand against her head and Jasper looked at us in disappointment.

"Dude… you do realize we're going to have a skating rink in the backyard tomorrow when we drain that fucker and refill it. There's no way I'm getting in that thing with all your love juice," laughed Jasper as Alice smacked him upside the head.

"Don't worry. I'll clean it out tomorrow before the rest of the family gets here," I muttered in frustration as Bella raced up the stairs to get dressed. "If you wait for me to get dressed, I'll come down and help you unload the car." Jasper nodded and I made it up the stairs quickly, tossing on the first things I could find on the floor, my clothes from a few days ago that had remained untouched.

When I came back down, Jasper was standing by the door whispering to Alice while she giggled uncontrollably. "What did I miss?" I asked curiously as they were both suddenly very quiet.

"Did you and Bella ever get dressed?" asked Alice casually as I blushed deeply and Bella followed behind me on the stairs.

"Thought so," laughed Jasper widely. "That explains the ass prints on the leather couch."


	40. Drunk and Disorderly

**A/N: I hate to remind you all but there is a few more chapters to go before the end. The wedding is the next chapter, this is just some family funny and a little more of everyone's favorite characters, Logan and Drunken Esme. LOL**

**Thanks for the continued support, it means the world to me and even though I don't answer every single review, I do read them all and smile happily.**

**My beta, MaggieMay14 would like to me let you guys know to enjoy the show.**

**I don't own twilight, I do own the mother of all baby books though.**

**EPOV**

The next morning was a whirlwind of activities throughout the house. As Alice and Bella worked on breakfast, Jasper and I fixed the hot tub and sure enough there was a skating rink. We ended up getting out some spare wood from the garage and sticks from the woods to make a rectangle around where the water was dumped. Logan would love the chance to skate out here, we both agreed as the water covered the area we selected and by noon it was already starting to freeze.

After breakfast, Jasper and Alice headed into town to pick up some supplies for the wedding that she had ordered through a local party company while Bella and I worked on tidying up the house. It was just before ten when my parents strolled in with Charlie and Kate, smiling brightly. They had flown into Jackson Hole instead of driving and had Charlie had gotten a rental car.

He and Kate had decided to stay at a small resort a few miles away, both to give them some privacy and not to overcrowd the cabin. It was fine for a few people, but not everyone. Rose, Em and Logan were also staying at the resort but they were driving down and we expected them to show up later in the day.

"Are you excited?" asked my mother as she strolled in and gave me and Bella each a huge hug. "Tomorrow is the big day."

"Yeah, we're excited," sighed Bella as she looked around the cabin one more time to make sure everything was clean. Alice had insisted we clean the couch as thoroughly as possible once she found out we spent several days naked in the cabin.

"Where's the Christmas Tree?" asked Charlie curiously as he looked towards the bare living room. He knew one of the things Bella was most keen on having for the wedding was a huge tree and I think Alice had gone out to pick up were some decorations. I know she wasn't exactly excited when I showed her the small box filled with last year's decorations, even though Bella and I smiled wistfully at them.

"We're waiting for Logan to get here. We figure he'd want to go with us to pick it out and then we can decorate it when we get back," explained Bella as I helped my parents bring their luggage up to their room. "By the way, if Em and Rose are staying down at the Wondering Lodge, who the hell is gonna use Emmett's room?"

"I am Bella. The night before our wedding we should exactly be staying together," I said with a laugh as I noticed Charlie glare at me angrily and then wink, clearly not upset at the fact that I have been sleeping with his daughter. Bella rolled her eyes and then dragged my mother into the kitchen to show the cookies she had made earlier in the day.

"Kate and I are going to check into our room and we'll be back within the hour," said Charlie as he wrapped his arm around Kate's waist and led her from the cabin. I closed the door behind them before sinking down on to the couch.

"So, are you nervous?" asked my dad curiously as he sat beside me, his hands resting awkwardly on his lap. He seemed more nervous than I did.

"Nope. She's everything I wanted and didn't even know I was looking for," I stated firmly as I looked over the couch and towards the kitchen where my mother was tasting one of Bella's shortbread cookies. "I can't imagine what I would do without her."

"I know the feeling," he said genuinely as I caught him and my mom exchanging knowing glances. Between what Bella had already told me about my parents' sex life and their longing looks, I was getting a little unnerved about my parents staying in the cabin and I hoped to god the walls were thick.

"So what's the plan for tonight?" he inquired as I shook my head for a moment and tried to remember what Alice, Bella and my mother had planned.

"I think we're doing the tree-trimming this afternoon and having a small buffet dinner. Nothing special really, just spending time together as a family," I explained to him as he smiled brightly and then headed towards the kitchen area.

"Why in the hell is there a skating rink in the backyard?" my dad asked in surprise as Bella and I broke out into laughter but neither of us was willing to explain what really happened. I couldn't just tell my father that I was caught having sex with my fiancée in the hot tub so Alice and Jasper made me drain it. I would certainly get lectures about infections and water usage that I just didn't want to deal with.

"It's a surprise for Logan," said Bella quickly as I caught her glance and she smiled brightly at me. "Early Christmas gift."

"Oohh, he'll just love that," added my mother as I noticed her pull out my bottle of Jameson's and fix herself a drink. This was definitely going to be a long day.

Emmett, Rosalie and Logan showed up just after lunch time, after stopping at the resort first and checking in. They both seemed a little tired and were eager to pass Logan off to anyone who wanted him so they could get a bit of rest. "Hey Champ, how are you doing?" I asked him as he joined Carlisle and me in front of the TV. We were watching a repeat of a poker tournament on ESPN 8, 'The Ocho'.

"Hey Uncle Edward. I'm doing good. I can't wait for Christmas. I left Santa a note saying that I was here instead of at my own house," said Logan sounding a bit saddened. "I don't want him to forget where I am and then I get no presents."

"Do you think you were you a good boy to deserve the presents?" asked my father with a wide grin as I laughed along with him. I already knew he and Esme had a mother lode of gifts for him up in their closet, just waiting to be put under the tree tomorrow night after the wedding.

"Of course Grandpa. Momma and Daddy said I had been excellent," stated Logan firmly as he jumped up on the couch beside my father and rested his head on him. I had to admit, it was very endearing the way Logan took so easily to my parents. Sure it had been almost a year since Logan came into our lives, but I couldn't imagine him not being here. Just like I'm sure at one point, I won't be able to imagine life without the children Bella and I have.

Alice and Jasper came into the house, somewhat harried, before we had a chance to talk to Logan anymore about Santa Claus. Alice was carrying several bags and Jasper was loaded down with boxes, so my father and I jumped off the couch to help them as my mother stumbled in with another drink in her hand and Bella on her heels. "Did you buy out Target?" Bella asked with a grin as she shot me a knowing look, clearly remembering our own visit to Target last year.

"They had shitty selection," responded Alice as I clamped my hands over Logan's ears and reminded Alice to watch her language. "Oh, sorry. Hey there Logan, Target had no good Christmas decorations," she corrected herself.

"Auntie Alice, if our tree is ugly, will Santa still come?" asked Logan anxiously as well burst out into laughter.

"Yes baby, Santa will still come," reassured my mother sweetly as she ruffled his hair. "Speaking of which, aren't you strong handsome men supposed to go cut down a tree or something like that?"

"Yeah, now that Logan is here we should go," I stated firmly as Logan, Carlisle, Jasper and I all got bundled up into our winter coats and boots. I thought of going to grab Emmett, but I knew he was tired from the trip so we decided that between the three and a half of us we could chop down a tree. Hell, I did it alone last year. I made a huge fucking mess, but I did it regardless.

My father met us in the backyard with the axe he fetched from the garage and we couldn't help but sense Logan's excitement. "Is that a skating rink?" he asked happily once we walked down the stairs of the deck and into the snowy backyard.

"Sure is buddy," said Jasper with a wide grin as he winked at me and we bypassed the rink and headed into the woods. "Are we even allowed to cut down trees out here Carlisle?"

"I own the damned property, they better let me cut down my own tree," he said with a laugh as we launched into a thorough discussion on what kind of tree we wanted. Should it be tall, short, wide thin etc... It was moment's like this that I wished Alice or Bella had joined us, so we did the next best thing and Jasper called Alice for her opinion. She wanted one that was at least seven feet tall and slightly wide. After 40 minutes of trudging around the property, we finally found one decent enough and dragged it back home, praying to god they wouldn't make us go back out.

Once we had it propped up in the stand Alice had set up in the living room, we were relieved to know that she loved it. Esme cheerfully brought us each a mug of hot chocolate for our efforts and I couldn't help but be jealous that Logan's was filled with marshmallows and Bella immediately sensed this. "Are you missing some marshmallows?" she asked teasingly as she held a few up over my cup and I nodded my head, feeling a bit like an upset 10 year old boy. "I'll give them to you if you promise to come upstairs with me for a moment."

I grabbed her hand firmly in mine and we ran up the stairs to our bedroom. I didn't even care if she was simply going to tell me she was wearing yellow socks, I couldn't wait to be alone with her. I was caught off guard though when she pushed me onto our bed and straddled me, leaning down to kiss me passionately. I started to tug at the hem of her shirt, assuming I was about to get laid, when she pulled away and smoothed her shirt down.

"Do you think we're having sex with your family mere feet away?" she asked with her eye brow cocked.

"Umm… no?" I answered hesitantly as she nodded her head and kissed me again.

"Very good Mr. Cullen. I just wanted a few minutes alone with you is all," she said sweetly as she suddenly moved off of my lap and my now painful erection to cuddle beside me on the bed. "We won't have much alone time in the next two days, between the tree trimming party tonight and the wedding tomorrow. I just wanted to let you know how much I love you and can't wait to be your wife."

"And why aren't we having sex right now?" I asked with a laugh as Bella hit me in the center of the chest and we were interrupted by a loud knock.

"Uncle Edward and Auntie Bella… Auntie Alice told me to tell you to stop necking and come help with the tree," called Logan as we both burst into laughter at being interrupted yet again. We could then hear Logan waking up Emmett and Rosalie and didn't feel so bad. At least he didn't run in here and jump on the bed like he did with his parents.

We reluctantly left the bedroom and found Rosalie and Emmett standing outside of his old room, rubbing the sleep from their eyes. "You guys can rest tonight, let's go trim a tree," laughed Logan as he grabbed my hand and Rosalie's and dragged us down the stairs behind him. I grabbed my hot chocolate, now filled with marshmallows and downed it quickly as Charlie and Kate wandered in a moment later to join the fun.

We spent the next three hours stringing lights, ornaments and garland on the tree until my mother and Alice deemed it beautiful enough for a backdrop for our wedding photos. Rosalie and Alice spent most of their time decorating the rest of the room festively, with the help of Jasper who would climb on the ladder to hang things up instead of either of the girls. Bella was in the kitchen helping my mother who by six o'clock was already three sheets to the wind.

"Did you know in the early days of my marriage to Carlisle we used to pretend mistletoe was for sex, not kissing and we once did it six times in one day while we were decorating the house for the holidays," announced my mother as virtually everyone in the room cringed with the exception of Charlie and Kate who both laughed loudly.

"Esme, perhaps you should steer clear of the alcohol. We don't need a repeat of Bella's bachelorette party," chided my father as I looked at him quizzically and my mother spoke up and seemed angry.

"I'm celebrating the wedding of my youngest son, that's not a crime Carlisle. If it is, you should have brought the handcuffs from your nightstand because there are no cops around here with the exception of Charlie and this certainly isn't his jurisdiction" slurred my mother happily as I groaned at the same time as Alice and Emmett. "Although for the record, I certainly wouldn't mind being cuffed and strip searched by you Charlie Swan." I was about to break out into a laugh when I thought I heard my mom purr in his direction and decided to replace all the booze bottles with water. I was prepared to face her wrath but not her uninhibited mouth.

"I think you've mentioned that before Esme," laughed Kate as I looked at her in shock. When the hell had my mother wanted to get with Charlie Swan?

"What the hell are you two talking about?" asked Rosalie curiously as Kate covered her mouth in shock.

"I'm a little confused myself," added Alice who was looking at our mother for answers.

"I might have gotten a little chatty after my arrest and implied that Charlie had a big dick in the elevator up to our room in Seattle," said my mother as everyone looked at each other in silent shock.

"I'm actually surprised you remember that Esme considering how drunk you were. Nothing happened though," clarified Charlie, even though it didn't make it any better. "Although she did seem interested in a foursome with Kate and me."

"Mother," yelled out Emmett in disgust as I covered my face with my hands and couldn't help the laughter that was fighting to get out. Just having this discussion the day before my wedding was completely mortifying. With my luck, they were going to get out rulers and have us all compare cock size.

"Maybe we should hide the booze," whispered Jasper to me as I nodded my head and he went towards the kitchen, trying to be careful to not be caught by my mother who was now in the corner being lectured by my dad about her drinking habits no doubt. I couldn't help but feel relieved when I saw Jasper put all the liquor back in the cabinet and lock it, tossing the key into his pocket.

I was about to go help Bella in the kitchen as she finished up the food for dinner when there was a knock on the door and I smiled brightly. Alice ran to answer it and the entire room was greeted with 'Where's my baby?" by a rather obnoxious and loud voice. Renee had finally arrived.

**BPOV**

"Mother?" I shouted out from the kitchen as Renee kicked off her boots and ran towards me, her arms so far out stretched that I thought she might take out Jasper or Emmett in her haste.

"You are looking lovely Bella. Which one of these studs is your Edward?" asked my mother as her eyes clearly wandered around the room. "Is it the one with the muscles and broad shoulders? He has an ass you can bounce quarters off of doesn't he? I bet he shags like a lion in the sack," she announced to the room as I heard Rosalie break out into loud laughter at my mother's incorrect assumption. Well she might not be wrong about Emmett's sexual prowess but I really didn't want to know. I grabbed her hand and led her towards Edward, who was now standing by the front door bringing in her luggage from the porch.

"Mother, this is Edward Cullen, my fiancée," I said calmly as Edward reached his hand out for her to shake and she instead threw herself around him like he was a solider home from war. Edward seemed a little taken aback by her affection, but welcomed it none the less.

"It's a pleasure to finally put a face to the voice," he said coolly as I looked at him in curiosity as I wondered when the hell he ever talked to my mother.

"You are so fucking handsome. What's with the hair though? Where's Esme? I have to hug the shit out of that woman for all of her help," she gushed as I pointed her towards Edward's drunken mom in the corner and couldn't help but laugh as I noticed Esme's hand was rubbing Carlisle through his pants.

"How the fuck do you and your mom know my mom?" I asked in surprise as Edward grabbed my hand and led me into the kitchen. Alice and Jasper were setting up the food and egg nog on the dining room table for our dinner and Logan was playing cards with Kate and Charlie while Emmett and Rosalie were curled up on the couch. Everything seemed so perfect and then 'Hurricane Renee' arrived.

"I called your mom and asked her to come. She came up with the idea of making you think she couldn't come, sneaky woman you have there," laughed Edward. "I put her in touch with my mother and they have apparently been talking for weeks, she even helped make some of the plans." From their corner we could hear Renee and Esme chatting happily like old friends, old drunken sorority sisters.

"Where the hell is she going to stay?" I asked incredulously as I did the math and noticed there were no bedrooms left at the cabin since Edward and I would be apart.

"She's staying in Emmett's room and I am staying in my room," said Edward fiercely as I grew excited that I got to spend the evening with him. "You however are going to the resort with Alice and Rosalie. Apparently you have a spa appointment in the morning to get your nails and hair done." I was suddenly furious that no one had told me of these plans but all of my thoughts went out the window the moment my mother noticed my father sitting on the couch playing cards.

"Well Charlie, time has certainly agreed with you," she said seductively as I noticed Kate was quick to stand beside my father, her arm now tight around his waist. "Who's the broad?"

"Renee, this is my girlfriend Kate… Kate, this is Bella's mom Renee," said Charlie awkwardly as the women reluctantly shook hands and seemed to size each other up. I couldn't understand why my mom was suddenly flirting with Charlie when she was the one who left him in the first place all those years ago. "You are looking well Renee. Where's Phil?"

"Phil now bats for the other team. Ironic huh considering he played baseball for years?" laughed Renee nervously and I was suddenly overwhelmed with images of learning about Phil's preference for her lacy underwear, since my mother was keen on over sharing. I wasn't sure I was ready for that conversation. Renee didn't seem to be bothered by it that much though because she ambled back to Esme and wrapped her arm around her shoulder, pulling her away from Carlisle. "So, why weren't you trying to get these crazy kids together sooner?" she asked Esme with a wide smile.

"Alice wouldn't let me honestly. However, last Christmas I would have shoved them in my pantry to hump like bunnies if I thought it would do any good," laughed Esme with a cheerful smile as Edward and I were both completely mortified.

"Yeah, those were some not so subtle hints you were throwing around all night Esme," added Carlisle with a grin as he sat on the floor beside Logan and helped him with his card game.

"What does 'hump like bunnies' mean Grandpa?" asked Logan innocently as the entire room burst out laughing and my mom ambled towards him to try to explain. I was quick to follow her and cover her mouth before she could explain the birds and bees to the wide eyed six year old. Luckily, Logan forgot all about his question when Esme started to freak out because the booze was missing.

"Don't worry Esme," called out my mom as she walked towards her, rifling through her purse as she went. "I have a trusty flask of Whiskey that we can share."

"I knew I loved you Renee," said Esme happily as Renee handed her the small silver flask and she took a sip greedily.

"Okay, we need to tone down the mother's," whispered Edward to me as I nodded my head but was unsure of how to go about it. Thank god for Alice who announced that everything for dinner was in the dining room and everyone made a mad dash to get away from the awkwardness that Esme and Renee had caused. We ate in relative silence, enjoying the Christmas music that was filling the house and the light conversations. I was dreading the moment when the women had no more food to occupy them and began to do something really stupid.

"Did Charlie ever tell you about the time Bella went pee on Santa's lap because she was so scared?" asked Renee as I threw my hands over my ears and tried desperately to drown out the story which she retold in painstaking detail, much to the amusement of Emmett and Edward. I was about to stand up from my chair when Edward grabbed my arm and pulled me back down.

"Don't let her bother you," said Edward sweetly. "She's probably just drunk like Esme and tomorrow this will all be a bad memory."

"She's not drunk Edward, this is Renee. Plus, it's easy for you to laugh when the story isn't about you. Perhaps you wouldn't be so easy to forgive if it was your mother telling an embarrassing story about you from your childhood."

"When Edward was younger he used to love to be naked and he would always play with his willie. Whenever Carlisle and I tried to talk him out of it, he used to always say that it was his willie and he loved it. It was the most adorable yet creepy thing. Does he still have an obsession with his willie Bella?" exclaimed Esme loudly as the room grew into loud raucous laughter and Edward gripped my hand tightly, pulling me onto the front porch to apparently freeze our asses off.

"It's not too late to fly to Vegas you know," he said genuinely as I wrapped my arms around him, both in an attempt to comfort him and to stay warm.

"I know baby, but in twenty four hours we will be married and then forty eight hours from now we will be on our honeymoon," I explained to Edward as he hugged me closer to him. "Our parents might be driving us crazy but think positive, when this is Emmett's turn the stories will no doubt be twice as bad." We both smiled happily before leaning in for a sweet kiss that was interrupted by Alice.

"Can you guys come back inside? I've distracted the women with wedding talk, so we think the house is safe," laughed Alice as Edward nodded his head and kissed me again before we stepped inside the house.

We spent the next hour going through wedding details with our moms both of whom reminded me of a drunken version of Sophia from the Golden Girls. My mother kept cursing and every time Logan came over to see us, we had to basically keep our hands covered over his ears for safety's sake.

It was just before eleven when Alice told me to corner Edward for some private time because we had to be leaving soon for the resort. My heart sunk to my feet at the prospect of leaving him for the night. We hadn't been apart since I came back from my book tour and I had liked sleeping in his arms a little too much. I wondered if I would be able to sleep at all tonight without him by my side.

I found Edward in the kitchen having a conversation with Jasper about the ice rink in the backyard. They were planning to make a run to Target in the morning to get Logan a pair of skates to give it a try tomorrow morning before they needed to get ready for the wedding. "Do you mind if I steal my husband?" I asked anxiously as Jasper simply nodded his head and I grabbed Edward's hand and led him to the pantry, of all places. I knew there was no way we could make it upstairs before our mothers started to make obscene suggestions about blow jobs or something like that, so the pantry was the only logical option.

I closed the door tightly behind us and immediately latched my lips onto his. My tongue was deep in his mouth before he pushed me away from him and was gasping for air. "Not to complain, but what has gotten over you?" asked Edward with a wide grin.

"Alice said we're going to leave soon so I should make the best out of my time left with you Mr. Cullen," I said sadly as I felt him grab my ass and lift me up. I quickly wrapped my legs around his waist and started to kiss him passionately again as I threaded my fingers through his thick hair and he pushed his hard on against my eager pussy. Edward turned us around and my back was up the shelving, covered in various non-perishables and it wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing in the world, but I didn't care right now. I continued kissing him with all the force and passion I could muster.

"I can't wait to marry you Mrs. Cullen," said Edward as we took a moment to compose ourselves before I started to kiss him again at the mention of my soon to be name. I decided to push the boundaries of what I thought we had time for and began unbuttoning his dress shirt, my lips now finding purchase against his chest and I began kissing him all over his bare chest before Edward lowered me and I was pulling his belt off.

Edward was tugging furiously at my own shirt and had lifted it off, leaving me in my bra. I had his boxer short covered cock in my hands when the door to the pantry suddenly flew open and Logan and Esme stood on the other side, both of their mouths wide open.

"We found them," called out Logan with a tiny smile on his face. Esme, however, was smiling brightly.

"They were in the pantry humping like bunnies."

**A/N: Now that you have read my chapter, move on over to a few that I am either reading or assisting with as a Beta. All these links are in the C2 for Underappreciated but Well Written Stories on my profile.**

**Someone to Watch Over Me by flightlessbird11 (my partner in smut) **

**The Edward Pattinson Project by bettygale (new story I am beta'ing. One chapter posted so far, so put her on alert and leave a review you sweet people you)**

**Selfinflicted by AtalantaCerelia (She just wrote the first lemon which I beta'd today and should be posted soon. She did an excellent job too, so that's something to look forward to.)**

**New chapter won't be posted till we reach 1,900 reviews or I get back from the cottage.. which ever comes first :)**


	41. Snowed In

**A/N: I wasn't going to post this chapter until I got 1,900 total reviews, but my girl Nelln over on twitter, promised me she would review when she got home, so this is early. So everyone thank nelln. **

**I am so pleased to see everyone liked the drunken antics of Renee and Esme. Yes, they are back in this chapter, but not until a bit later. I hope that all the build up to their wedding is worth it. My partner in smut (flightlessbird11) and beta (maggiemay14) both seem to think so. But you should thank Maggiemay14 because this chapter almost went lemon-less.**

**I also need to thank kikikinz for making me laugh with her lovely stories of her own family. Thankfully, Esme is only a small fraction of my own family… my mother the drunken lush, who thankfully doesn't read FF, doesn't tend to shout random things at family functions. Sometimes I wish she would though. LOL**

**Anywhoo, 1 chapter and an epilogue left. No there will be no sequel, so please don't ask, although I do love you guys for wanting me to write more of this couple.**

**I don't own twilight; I do own a set of red drapes in a red & brown room which my daughter seems bound and determined to pull from their curtain rod.**

**BPOV**

"Did Jasper hide the alcohol?" I asked Alice tensely as she sat beside me, texting on her cell phone to Jasper, who was back at the cabin. I would have texted Edward but the moment I arrived at the resort last night to spend my last evening as a single woman with Alice, she commandeered my phone and refused to give it back until after we exchanged vows.

"Yeah, it's all hidden in the trunk of our car. I don't think Esme or Renee is gonna want to go out into the snow to get some Whiskey tonight," laughed Alice as the woman working on her pedicure gave her a wide smile.

"I wouldn't put it past those two," added Rosalie with a grin. "Knowing them they are probably gonna call every single store within a one hundred mile radius and offer some guy big bucks to bring them a case of beer or even a keg of beer. I don't think the snow will deter them."

We were currently all holed up in a small room at the spa at the resort getting manicures and pedicures. I'm sure the original intent of the morning together was for me to relax before getting to the cabin and getting dressed for the wedding, but thanks to the sudden friendship between my mother and Esme, we were now making contingency plans.

"Did you hear them discussing the benefits of oral sex last night?" asked Rosalie as I cringed at the mere mention of my mother and oral sex in the same phrase. "It was quite an eye opening discussion and I am by no means a prude, but even I was disturbed. Emmett ran to the bathroom, I think to cry."

I let out a long sigh as the manicurist held out a few small bottles of nail polish she thought would be appropriate. I turned towards Alice who offered her advice by pointing to a bottle of crimson red polish, ironically titled 'Mistletoe Madness'. "What do you think the guys are doing right now?" I asked curiously as I heard Alice scoff beside me.

"Can you not think about him for ten minutes?" asked Alice.

"That's easy for you to say. You haven't been cut off completely by the wedding nazi from the love of your life, the day of your wedding," I said with an anxious sigh as Rosalie patted me on the shoulder supportively.

"This is for your own good Bella," she added as I felt the desire to pout and cross my arms over my chest, but my nails were currently being done. Pain in the ass wedding preparations. After a few minutes of silence from me, Alice reluctantly dialed the phone and handed it to me. "Five minutes Bella."

"What do you want Alice?" asked the smooth and sexy voice on the other end of the phone as I immediately smiled and relaxed.

"It's not Alice," I said with a small laugh as I could hear Edward let out a deep breath on the other end of the phone. "Is it madness over there?"

"Not too bad I guess. Mom and Renee are a little harried but Jasper and Emmett just took Logan outside to go skating on the 'love tub' skating rink. What are you girls doing? I miss you like crazy, have I mentioned that yet?" I giggled slightly and instantly felt like a schoolgirl again.

"I miss you too Edward. We're currently getting our nails done while discussing the scene our mothers made last night," I explained as he started to go into detail about their recent fruitless search for alcohol in the house and how Renee had decided to move a few things around in the living room, even though it was currently being set up to Alice's specifications. "Shit, that might cause a little problem," I groaned into the phone as I heard Edward agree with me.

"What time are you guys supposed to show up at the house?" he asked anxiously. I could tell in his voice he was both nervous and excited, which made me happy since I felt the same way. I looked over and saw Alice patting her invisible watch on her wrist letting me know our time was almost up.

"I think we're due there around three, since the ceremony is at five. I'm not sure; you should probably confirm that with Alice, who is currently telling me to get off the phone. I love you and I will see you at five," I said sweetly as I heard him groan because we had to get off the phone.

"I love you to Mrs. Cullen," he said as Alice swiped the phone from me and discussed our schedule with him before hanging up.

"I love you," laughed Rosalie as she started to make kissing noises and I smacked her upside the head for mocking me.

"Remind me to make fun of you on your wedding day," I replied as she simply laughed at me. "Oh and remind me to keep a 40 ounce of whiskey in my purse for Esme the lush. I'm sure she will have plenty to say about you and Emmett when she's sloshed at your nuptials." Rosalie turned and looked at me in shock but I just nodded my head as she finally shut up and I felt somewhat vindicated.

The rest of the morning went by in a blur of crust less sandwiches, curling irons and mascara. I felt like I had been poked, rubbed and prodded more than was necessary for one woman who wasn't even on her honeymoon yet. Although, I was fairly pleased when I saw the finished product staring back at me from the mirror. My makeup wasn't anything fancy, but I looked very classic, which was my goal. My hair was swept from my face and held back by a small clip with most of my hair cascading down my back in large curls, it was simple and exactly what I wanted. I had a small veil to pin in above the clip, but it wasn't to go over my face, just hang behind me.

"Edward's going to cry," said Alice as she helped me gather my things from our room to head back to the cabin. My dress was laid on the bed, in its garment bag and it practically called out to me.

"I don't think so," I said with a sigh as I grabbed my cosmetics bag and shoved it into the duffle bag I had brought with me to the resort the night before.

"Ten bucks says he's crying before you even walk down the aisle," said Alice as I looked at her incredulously.

"I take that bet. I think he won't start crying until Bella's walking down the aisle and he actually sees her," added Rosalie as she waited by the door for us. "Jasper's outside waiting for us, so we need to get a move on ladies." Alice picked up the garment bag as I took our bags and headed out the door of the suite. I couldn't help but smile widely as we walked down the hallway to the front lobby, where Jasper had the car idling, waiting patiently for us.

"My bet is that Edward doesn't cry, so make sure you ladies have your money ready. I also bet that the mom's will find the booze before we get there," I added with a smile as we put our bags in the back and carefully draped the garment bag over the front seat before getting into the car. "Hey Jasper."

"Hey little lady, you gals look mighty pretty," he said genuinely as he leaned in and Alice permitted him a kiss on her cheek so he didn't mess up her lipstick. "Everyone is anxiously awaiting your arrival, so let's get a move on, shall we?" I nodded eagerly and did my best to calm my nerves. I was failing miserably until Rosalie handed me a small flask and told me to take a swig. Mmm… whiskey. I only took a small drink before handing it back, but I immediately felt slightly better.

When we pulled in front of the cabin, Alice and Rosalie went ahead with our bags and the dress while I waited for the all clear, since Alice was adamant that I not see Edward before I walked down the aisle. "He's pretty excited you know," said Jasper as he sat with me in the car, waiting patiently. "I never thought I would see the day that he walked down the aisle before Alice and me though."

"I never thought I would ever get married, so what does that say about me?" I asked curiously as he smiled brightly at me.

"It says that you clearly love Edward with all of your heart and I know he feels the same," he added as I saw Alice come out of the house from the corner of my eye. "I think they are locking Edward in the pantry for a little while." I laughed, even though I was still embarrassed, as I thought about being caught in that very room the night before by Esme and Logan.

We stepped out of the car and I practically ran up the stairs to Alice's room where I would finish getting ready. Although I had no idea how I would fill the next two hours before the wedding, I would probably go crazy with anticipation. I flipped on the TV in Alice's room and was about to get comfortable and relax for a little while when my mother stepped into the room looking a bit tired and frustrated.

"We think everything is ready. The photographer will be here in an hour to take pictures of you guys separately," Renee explained to me as though she was the wedding coordinator. Alice had already told me all of these details on the car ride to the cabin and she was currently downstairs trying to alter the changes my mother had made to the seating and decorations while we were gone.

"You're more nervous than I am mom," I said genuinely as she sat down beside me and we both started watching the weather on CNN. "Apparently we're expecting snow tonight, no big surprise there. It'll be nice to have a white Christmas after all those winters in Phoenix."

"I don't know why you aren't more nervous Bella. You're getting married in less than two hours," she stated as I looked at her and gave her a reassuring hug.

"I'm not worried because I know with all my heart that this is the right thing for Edward and me. Sure, we've only been together for a year, but he's the one mom. No need to be nervous about that," I explained to her as there was suddenly a knock on the door and Carlisle walked in holding a small wrapped box. "Hey Dad."

Carlisle laughed as he came over and stood awkwardly in front of me. "The best man was supposed to bring this to you, but since he's currently making a snow angel in the backyard with his son and Edward is so damned impatient, he wanted me to bring you your gift," said Carlisle sweetly as I quickly stood up and gave him a gentle hug before accepting the gift. I handed the box to my mother as I scrounged around in my duffel bag for Edward's a gift, a watch to match the one he had gotten me for Christmas last year.

I handed Carlisle the small box and he nodded his head, clearly knowing to give it to Edward when he leaves me. I sat back down and nervously unwrapped the lovely white wrapping paper and bow from the box, opening it up with a small gasp. Inside the box lay a large glass snow globe with an exact replica of the Cullen Family Cabin. "It's beautiful," I exclaimed happily as I lifted the globe from the box and started to read the small plaque on the front of the wooden base.

_Edward and Isabella Cullen_

_Joined in Love for Eternity _

_December 24, 2009_

"Oh honey, it's absolutely lovely," gushed my mother as a few tears started to stream down my face and Carlisle handed me a handkerchief from his pocket. I dabbed at my eyes, hoping to god that I hadn't messed up my makeup and then gave Carlisle another hug.

"Thanks so much Carlisle. Please let Edward know how much I adore it," I stated sweetly as he wished me luck and then turned on his heel to go present Edward with his gift. I stared at the snow globe for what felt like the longest time, turning it upside down and watching the snow fall over the little cabin. I let out a giggle when I noticed had a tiny replica of Edward's Volvo and my Passatt in front of the cabin, just as Alice bounced in and let me know the boys were getting dressed for their photos. The photographer was due at any time now.

I could hear all the commotion outside the room for over half an hour as the men got dressed, Logan complained about the tightness of his little tie and then they had pictures taken in front of the fireplace and the Christmas tree. I felt a little bad that the photographer had limited space to work with, but it didn't seem to take them long to finish their shots before Rosalie came in and instructed me to get into my dress, with the help of her and my mother of course. I could hear the guys walking up the stairs and being locked into Emmett's room for a little while as me and all the ladies finally headed down stairs for our own turn with the photographer.

We posed in several different positions, some with the mothers, some without. Most of them were me by myself though, seeing as I was the bride. It was a little overwhelming, but when I saw Esme and Renee sharing a flask in the corner, I knew the evening was about to get more interesting. When we were finished, I was ushered back up the stairs and locked into Alice's room with my mother for company again. She tried to explain to me the things I would be doing on my honeymoon, apparently completely forgetting that I was twenty three and Edward and I had already done everything and more in our one year together.

"Are you really trying to have a heart to heart with me about sex?" I asked anxiously as Alice knocked on the door and told me I had two minutes left.

"Well honey, I'm sure Edward will expect certain things on your wedding night," Renee said with a slight smile. She actually seemed nervous and I just had to laugh in response.

"Mom, Edward and I have had our fair share of sex, so you don't have to worry about embarrassing yourself. You once told me I should take a ride on the bike before buying it and do you honestly think I thought you were talking about bikes?" I asked with a chuckle as she nodded her head slowly.

"I just can't believe you're getting married," she said as she pulled me into a huge hug that finally ended when Alice opened the door and thrust my bouquet at me. Charlie was standing beside her, looking very handsome in his suit, beaming at me with pride.

"Let's get this show on the road."

**EPOV**

I was waiting nervously in front of the fireplace where we were supposed to exchange vows and my nerves were getting the best of me. I had spent most of the day being lighthearted and playing with Logan as everyone else worked themselves till they were stressed, but now as everyone else sat around me, smiles bright on their faces, I was the nervous one. Until I saw her and she took my breath away.

Bella walked cautiously down the stairs of the cabin in a stunning white gown that fit her perfectly and it took me a moment to relax before I realized I couldn't just run to her and sweep her up in my arms. I had been away from her for a little less than twenty four hours, but it felt like I was seeing her for the first time, fast asleep on the couch in the living room, looking like an angel.

I let out a long breath I didn't even know I was holding and kept my eyes trained on her, our life together until this moment flashing before my eyes in a series of vivid images. I saw her when she was sick at the cabin and I took care of her; when she came apartment hunting with me and pretended to be my wife and when she showed up in skimpy lingerie at my office and we fucked on my desk. She was most definitely the love of my existence.

I looked up and was shocked to see her already standing in front of me, Charlie offering me her hand tenderly and kissing her cheek before she turned to face me and smiled brightly. "I love you," I whispered to her as she nodded her head and the minister began speaking.

We had chosen a quick exchange of vows so the minister spoke a little bit before he turned to me and waited for me to recite the vows Bella and I had written together during our naked days at the cabin.

_Bella, I want you to know how lucky I am for having found the one perfect person for me, _

_the one who suits me so completely and who gives me joy and endless hope_

_and anticipation for the future._

_Every day we're together, you do nothing but make me happy. _

_The day we met was the day I became truly alive again, _

_and today — our wedding day — I declare my love and devotion for you before the entire world._

_I make a vow to stand by your side through the best and worst of times, _

_and to give you all of me from now until the end of our days._

I felt the need to break into tears the moment she repeated the same vows to me, but I didn't. I held firm and kept sticking my tongue out along my lip nervously until she was finished and the minister finally stated that I could kiss her. I wrapped my arm tight around her waist and pulled her towards me, the smile wide on my face as I lowered my lips to hers and felt whole again, for the first time in twenty hours.

Bella and I turned around and smoothed ourselves out, to the loud claps from our family and friends. The minister announced us formally as Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen as Renee burst out into tears from the front row, which made me laugh slightly. We walked down the aisle and stepped into the dining room for a moment before being greeted by everyone while Emmett and Jasper removed the seats from the living room and setup a small dance floor.

"The DJ called and cancelled," said Alice ruefully when she was finally by my side giving me a big hug. "Apparently there's a snowstorm heading this way, he's an hour south of here and got snowed in."

"That's fine," I replied happily. "I'm sure there are enough songs on my iPod to make due. There's even a mix called 'Bella' which is just romantic and happy songs you can play." Alice nodded her head and I told here where to find my iPod, which was on top of my dresser in my old room.

Alice was down within seconds and was setting the iPod up to run from the stereo and fill the entire house, just like when Bella and I were here alone last year. Bella looked up at me and smiled. "We have a first dance song planned, so when it comes on the stereo, we're just going to dance to it. I don't know when that will be," I explained to everyone.

Alice went over and asked the photographer to take some quick photos of everyone, including me and Bella alone, but she didn't want him to be stuck here with us due to the inclement weather. He was surprisingly quick at finishing off the final pictures, including one of everyone standing in front of the Christmas tree, which I envisioned would take a huge spot on our mantel back at the apartment when we finally got the photos back.

"Grandpa, if it snows too much, how will Santa get here?" asked Logan curiously once we had all had a moment to relax and the photographer had left, uttering something about his snow tires.

"Don't worry Logan. I had a chat to Santa when I saw him in the mall a few weeks ago. He let me in on a little secret," my father said as he bent down and helped Logan take off his suit jacket and whispered lowly to him. "Santa's magic and he knows you are here and he will get to you. So don't worry about it, okay buddy?" Logan nodded his head gently and gave my father a big hug that almost made me cry.

"Oh, Edward's sappiness just reminded me, here's your ten bucks Bella," said Rosalie as she handed her a crisp ten dollar billed followed by Alice who did the same.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked with a confused smile as I draped my arm over Bella's shoulder and she smiled cheerfully at me, burying herself into my side a bit.

"The girls and I had a bet going. Rosalie said you would cry when I walked down the aisle and Alice said you would cry the moment you saw me. Since I apparently know you the best, I knew that you wouldn't cry at all during the wedding," she said confidently as I kissed the top of her head.

"I don't know why you two bet against my wife," I said happily as 'Lovely Tonight' by Joshua Radin finally came over the speakers and I pulled Bella onto the dance floor for our official first dance as a married couple.

I held her tightly in my arms as she rested her head on my shoulder and we simply let the words from the song surround us. I could hear the flashing from a few cameras as our family took pictures, but as far as I knew, there were only two of us in the room. As the final words of the song came on, I gripped Bella's face tightly in my hands and kissed her passionately, all my happiness from the day and my love for her pouring forth in our kiss and I suddenly wished I could whisk her out of the house and away for our honeymoon right at that moment.

Emmett handed me and Bella each a glass of champagne when we stepped off the floor and I headed over to the iPod to put on a few more special songs. Bella had uploaded 'My Little Girl' by Tim McGraw a few weeks ago when we were considering music, so it would have to do at this moment for the song because I couldn't even remember what we originally chose the DJ to play. I had to laugh as Bella handed Kate her glass and dragged her father onto the dance floor reluctantly. I then put on 'In My Life' by the Beatles, but covered by Chantal Kreviazuk for my mother and I to dance to, which she seemed excited by even if she was stumbling a bit. Just because it was a small wedding didn't mean we were skipping some of the more formal aspects.

"I think we're officially snowed in," Charlie declared a little while later after we had all managed something to eat from the food set out in the dining room by the caterer. Kate, Renee and Esme were chatting loudly in the kitchen about something, most likely mortifying and sexual, when Charlie stepped outside to check out the snow. "There's at least seven inches on the ground and it looks pretty impassable right now."

"Great," muttered Emmett in frustration as I pulled Bella down onto my lap, a little pissed off myself. I'm sure Emmett had visions of getting a little Christmas Eve sex even though Rosalie looked positively dead on her feet, the pregnancy and lateness of the day clearly taking its toll on her.

"Are you angry that everyone is probably going to have to sleep here and we can't get to the resort to consummate this marriage?" Bella whispered to me quietly as I nodded my head. Fuck, right now I would take a blow job in the pantry to relieve some of the pent up lust I was feeling right now. "Later, okay?" I nodded my head again and we listened intently to Logan yammer on about all the things he wanted to do in the snow tomorrow.

"Don't you want to open your Christmas gifts in the morning Logan?" asked Bella sweetly as I moved my hand against her lower back, rubbing small circles in a soothing motion.

"Yeah, but the snow won't be here all day and my presents will always be there," he said logically as I laughed gently as Rosalie and Emmett came to join us in the living room. We were chatting easily, discussing the new sleeping arrangements because of the weather when Esme and Renee sat themselves in one of the club chairs together and looked at Bella and me expectantly.

"What's wrong?" I asked curiously as they continued their awkward stares, directed at my wife and me.

"Are you and Bella going to have babies soon?" slurred my mother as I looked at my new wife with wide eyes, knowing full well neither of us were ready for kids, although we did want them eventually. "I'm not asking you guys to hump here on the couch, we're just curious."

"Don't you think it's a little early to be discussing children when we only got married a few hours ago?" I replied as my mother scowled at me. "You already have one grandchild and another on the way, mother."

"Renee doesn't though," Esme retorted as she patted her new best friend on the back and smiled happily at me.

"You two would make the cutest babies ever," exclaimed Renee with a wide drunken grin as she took another drink from her flask and I immediately wished I had something a little more potent than champagne to wash down in order to deal with these ladies. I'd call Jasper over and ask him to fetch some Jameson's' out of the trunk of his car for me but he looked otherwise occupied with molesting my sister in the kitchen against the counter. "Why delay the inevitable? Bella works from home, you own your own company… babies is the next logical step."

"No, owning our own house is the next logical step," added Bella in frustration.

"Oh Christ then, think of all the fun you can have making them," added Esme as I groaned at discussing my sex life with my mother. "I think Bella got a book on the Kama Sutra from Angela for her bachelorette party, so you guys can put that stuff to good use. I heard the congress of the crow was a good position."

"Yeah, but that's for oral and she'll never get pregnant that way," chided Renee as Esme nodded her head in agreement. Meanwhile Em, Rosalie, Bella and I simply groaned that our parents knew anything about the Kama Sutra. Apparently having had enough of the mothers, Emmett picked up Logan, who was asleep on a nearby chair and took him upstairs, with Rosalie following behind wishing us all a good night.

"Yes, Bella and I will eventually have children. No, we are not starting today so don't go messing with her pills or anything like that because we will hunt you two down," I said as I pointed directly at both of them and narrowed my eyes and stared at the women, who simply stared back. "Don't you have an orgy to arrange with Kate, Charlie and Dad?"

Renee and Esme burst out into laughter but finally took the hint and stumbled away towards the kitchen where I heard Renee yelling out to Alice and Jasper to find themselves a room and put everyone out of their misery. It was shortly after that outburst that they walked upstairs and locked the door to Alice's room behind them. Once the grunting and banging ended an hour later, Bella and I decided to head upstairs and get comfortable. Unfortunately we had different ideas in mind because she put on some yoga pants and a tank top, but I got naked.

"Are you planning to go downstairs naked Edward? Cause I am certain my mother will take advantage of you if you do," she said with a wink as I pulled her towards me and ground my rather obvious erection against her.

"We're married now Bella, I'd like to think my wife would take advantage of me," I said with a sigh as she grinned widely at me.

"Tomorrow Edward. Logan is asleep a few feet from us and my parents are downstairs. As much as Alice might not have an issue with the whole house hearing her get it on, I do." I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted for a moment before Bella threw my plaid pajama pants and a t-shirt at me. I didn't reach out to grab them though; I let them fall to the floor as I stalked towards her and swept her into my arms before depositing her in to the middle of our bed.

I tugged off her pants as she smiled brightly at me, clearly not as against consummating our marriage as she had seemed a few minutes earlier. "I need to be with you Bella," I whispered to her as I pulled off her tank top and began kissing my way down her body, my hard cock desperate to be inside of her.

"I can't be quiet Edward," she moaned to me as I slipped my fingers between her wet folds and I felt her raise up slightly from the bed. I rubbed her clit and fingered her eager pussy gently for a few minutes before finally kneeling before her and pulling her onto my cock, her back still flat on the bed and her legs wrapped tightly around me. I slipped my hands under Bella's slightly raised back and began thrusting into her repeatedly, her moans growing louder with each motion.

When she looked like she was getting concerned about the amount of noise she was making, I gently covered her mouth with my hand to muffle her noises. She bit down on my hand and then came with me thrusting into her two more times before finally achieving my own release. I helped Bella sit up on my legs, with me still buried inside of her as I held her close to me, kissing her lips fiercely.

"Where the fuck did you learn how to do that?" she asked breathlessly as I looked at her, feeling rather smug.

"That damned Kama Sutra book. It's good bathroom reading," I said with a laugh. "I believe they call that 'Widely Opened.'" Bella laughed with me as we reluctantly pulled ourselves apart and proceeded to get dressed into our pajamas.

When I stumbled out into the hallway a few minutes after Bella had, I found her helping my mother gather up some blankets and linens for the couch in the living room. We needed to determine some sleeping arrangements for Kate, Charlie and Renee, seeing as everyone else basically had their own room. Logan was fast asleep in Emmett's old room in a sleeping bag that Em used to use when we were younger, while Rosalie and Emmett were on his bed. "We can all cuddle together, I won't mind that," laughed Renee to Charlie and Kate, who both looked a little mortified.

"The couch is a pull out, so Charlie and Kate can use that," stated my father with a grin as he tried to think of where to stick Renee.

"Mom can sleep on the couch in our room," mentioned Bella as I looked at her with wide eyes. It was my wedding night and I couldn't fathom a worse situation than having my mother in law sleeping in the same room.

"No Bella, that's too much of an imposition really," stated Carlisle as he stepped into the back storage room where we had kept the Christmas decorations and he came out with a small air mattress and pump. "I have this air mattress and Renee can sleep down here in the living room."

"Why don't you two kids go enjoy your privacy while us adults get ready to turn in for the night," said my mother sleepily as I nodded my head and grabbed Bella's hand firmly, dragging her back up the stairs to get some much needed sleep.

Just as we were finally cuddled beneath the blankets together, our arms wrapped firm around each other and practically holding on for dear life, we could hear Renee talking animatedly on the main floor. "There's no noise. I guess I won't be a grandmother anytime soon."

**A/N: Before you go looking it up, the congress of the crow is basically a sideways 69 and I'd like think that I was able to describe widely opened enough that you know what that is. I don't practice the kama sutra, but I might need to after seeing some of the positions they have.**


	42. Paradise Found

**A/N: I can't believe this thing is almost at the end. I have the epilogue to write, although I already know what is gonna go down in the next few years for the gang. I wish I could say Drunken Esme was heading off to rehab, but she'll show up in an outtake I have planned, then Carlisle's shipping her out to Promises in Malibu. LOL.**

**A huge thanks to everyone all 903 of you who have this story on alert and loved reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Make sure you get me on author alert, or are like one of the awesome 455 people that have me listed as one of their favorite authors so you will know when I start posting my new story.**

**Special thanks to maggiemay14, flightlessbird11 and lovebuggkiss who have been great friends throughout this entire journey. Flightlessbird11 even made a banner for this little story, which can be found on my profile page… so go check it out after you review. LOL**

**I don't own twilight, but I have some of the best readers in FanFic and a very long chapter for you folks!**

**BPOV**

"Shut the hell up or you will wake everyone up," I heard my mother gripe from the living room a little too loudly, especially if she didn't want anyone to wake up. My mind was instantly awash of all the things my mother could be doing downstairs that she didn't want anyone to hear.

I rolled over to check the time on the clock, 5:12am, and discovered that I wasn't the only person awake. "Good morning Mrs. Cullen," said Edward smoothly as he leaned in for a kiss which I gladly reciprocated. "Are you as worried as I am about what is going on down there?"

"I'm trying to think positive, after all, it is Christmas morning. I hope they are just putting gifts under the tree," I said half-heartedly. Knowing Renee they were probably hot boxing the pantry before hopping naked into the hot tub to down a case of Cheetos.

"You have a lot more faith in them than I do," laughed Edward as he pulled me closer to him and wrapped the blanket tightly around us. "I'm guessing no one down there is dressed and they are playing drunken 'Connect the Dots' on Kate's freckles."

"So, Mr. Cullen… when do we get out of this mad house?" I asked anxiously. I had stupidly decided to let Edward make all the decisions regarding our honeymoon and unfortunately he took the liberty of withholding any and all information from me. I had no idea where the hell we were going and my only stipulation in the aforementioned agreement was that we go somewhere warm. I was pretty sure he kept to that rule since I peeked at the luggage he made Alice pack for me and I saw three of the tiniest bikinis ever known to man included. I didn't think Alice was the one who bought those for me though and only prayed to god that they actually fit.

"We fly out of Jackson Hole tomorrow morning and head to L.A., and then we have a connecting flight to our final destination," said Edward with a sly grin, clearly not willing to share any further information with me, which was frustrating beyond belief.

"No one flipping told me to bring a Phillips head screwdriver," said my father angrily from the living room as Edward and I burst into laughter, both of us thinking something sexual regarding Charlie's comment.

"just use a hammer and shove it in there," said Kate simply as Edward and I laughed loudly again before deciding to finally get out of bed and discover what the hell was going on downstairs. We dressed in some casual pajamas which Alice had purchased for us specifically for Christmas morning and the moment we opened the door our senses were overwhelmed by the smell of coffee. Our ears were also bombarded by the bickering voices of our parents who seemed to be trying to build some sort of sled in the living room for Logan.

"Might I suggest buying one pre-built next year?" said Edward with a laugh as we walked into the living room and everyone glared at him, frustration obvious in their eyes. I however was overwhelmed by the number of gifts under the tree; then again, there were twelve of us here. Usually Christmas consisted of just me and one of my parents, so this was a major and welcome change to my life.

"Do you think you can do better smartass?" said Carlisle with a wide grin as Edward settled in the living room to join the mess and I fetched us both a cup of hot coffee. Within ten minutes, the sled was finally done and Edward was feeling very smug, even though Charlie seemed to have done the majority of the work.

We were all finally resting in the living room when Logan bounded down the stairs screaming with glee that Santa had visited, followed closely but Rosalie and Emmett. He sat down in front of the tree and began shaking some of the gifts, even ones that were not labeled as being his. "Don't even think about it mister," chided Esme as she handed him a cup of hot chocolate, brimming with marshmallows. "No opening gifts until Auntie Alice and Uncle Jasper are with us," she added as she then made her way back to the kitchen to assist Kate and Renee with breakfast. I had tried to offer, but was politely rebuked and told to relax since it was technically day one of my honeymoon.

"Can I go wake them up?" asked Logan excitedly as Carlisle agreed and he raced up the stairs and started pounding on their locked door. We could clearly hear Alice screaming and Jasper groan as they reluctantly opened the door a few minutes later and came down the stairs. Considering they were the first to head to bed, they were definitely the grumpiest to wake up.

"Coffee," grumbled Alice as she strolled into the kitchen with a scowl on her face, which seemed to dull instantly when she smelled the fresh cup of coffee I offered her. Before she could even take a sip, Logan was at her side impatiently.

"Auntie Alice, I can't open my presents from Santa until you join us," he said sweetly as he tugged on the hem of her flannel shirt. She easily relented and within moments we filled up the living room as Jasper, playing Santa complete with a hat, handed out the gifts.

I sat wrapped up in a plush blanket on Edward's lap in one of the club chairs in the living room. Most of the gifts beneath the tree were for Logan since every single one of the Cullen's had no aversion to spending mass quantities of cash on him and Edward and I had been no exception. We got tickets to a couple Mariners and Seahawks games for both Emmett and Logan, which they both appreciated happily, especially Logan, who was already mumbling something about Matt Hasselbeck, the Seahawks Quarterback.

Charlie had gotten Kate a beautiful pair of earrings and she in turn got him a trip for a weekend away salmon fishing in Northern British Columbia, which went perfectly with the top of the line fish finder we had gotten him, although Edward preferred to call it 'fish GPS' which actually made Charlie laugh. The most memorable of all the gifts was what Rosalie gave to us; Edward and I, Alice and Jasper, and Edward's parents. We all got small boxes which featured 3 DVD's.

"I hope these videos don't make you resent my past choices, but I thought you would appreciate watching them eventually and Emmett felt the same way," she said genuinely as I picked up the first case and my hand went down the spine where it read 'Logan's Birth.' The next two cases were titled 'Logan's First Birthday' and 'Logan Through The Years.' "Lauren might be a selfish bitch nowadays, but there was a time, back at Cornell, where she was the best friend I could possibly ask for. In fact, she was the closest thing I had to family for a long time and she didn't think twice about making these videos for me or bringing them up for Logan's birthday earlier this year."

Esme and Carlisle were sincerely touched by the gesture and gave Rosalie a huge hug. I knew as soon as things died down in the cabin they would probably curl up together and watch the videos happily. Everyone seemed a little surprised that Edward and I weren't exchanging gifts, but I usually just flashed them my ring and reminded them that I had everything I needed.

After the last gift was opened, the house transformed into sheer madness. Some of us cleaned up, some made brunch and everyone else played with some of Logan's toys. Eager to test out the sled that had caused such grief just this morning, Jasper, Emmett and Edward took Logan to a local sledding spot after we ate a hearty brunch, and I was spending quality time with my mother.

"I still can't believe you are married Bella," she said genuinely as we sat on the couch with a bottle of wine and two glasses. "For the record, I'm way too young to be a grandmother, though it might be incentive to get me to move to Seattle."

"You want to move to Seattle?" I asked incredulously as I downed the last bit of wine in my glass and quickly poured another.

"It's not like there's anything keeping me in Jacksonville anymore Bella. Virtually everything in the house reminds me of Phil, who liked to make road trips to South Beach a little too frequently in the offseason," she said with an awkward laugh as I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle hug.

"Don't move for me mom… move because you want to," I said stoically. I loved my mother beyond words but there was no way I would be blamed for her decisions if for some reason she decided to leave Seattle again.

"I've made better friends this weekend with Kate & Esme than I ever did in six years in Jacksonville baby. There's nothing truly keeping me there or keeping me happy," she stated firmly as I shook my head and resigned myself to the fact that my mother would probably be moving to Seattle sooner rather than later.

The rest of the night was busy as we enjoyed a simple Christmas dinner together before Emmett, Rosalie, Logan, Charlie and Kate all left for the night. We wouldn't see them until we were home from the honeymoon, so we gave them all long hugs and Edward and Emmett talked business before Rosalie finally pulled Emmett out the door against his will. I think everyone was a bit excited to get back to their hotel rooms after being stuck in the cabin overnight due to the passing storm. Edward and I wished everyone a good night before finally settling into bed for the night and the moment Edward set the alarm, I groaned in disappointment.

"One more day Bella and then you can sleep in for two weeks," said Edward as I looked at him in utter disbelief.

"Two weeks?" I asked, my voice cracking a little in surprise because like everything else having to do with the honeymoon, I was in the dark.

"Yes, Bella, two weeks. You work from home and I own my own company, so we can easily take the time off. Plus I'm going to have to cover for Emmett when the baby comes and he eventually marries Rose, so I'm going to enjoy the two weeks as much as possible. I suggest you do the same," he same with a small laugh as he snuggled close to me and we slipped into an easy and welcome sleep.

The next morning, we said our goodbyes with my mom, Carlisle, Esme, Alice and Jasper, all of whom wished us a great trip. Edward's parents had flown into Jackson Hole earlier in the week but had agreed to drive Edward's car back to Seattle, but Jasper drove us to the airport in the dark morning sky. The snow had ended early Christmas morning and all the roads were plowed, thankfully.

Our private flight to Los Angeles was uneventful as we simply cuddled together and slept. Esme and Carlisle graciously offered to pay for our honeymoon since there really wasn't anything else we needed as a gift. All our other guests chipped in and got us a hutch which matched our current dining room set and twelve place settings of fine china, which was the only thing we registered for.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover at LAX that we were going to Belize and even more so when we arrived and I found out that we were going to our own private island just off the coast. It was secluded enough that I didn't have to worry about keeping quiet when we made love, but we also had complete access to all the amenities of the hotel on the mainland.

When we docked, the gentleman who was driving the boat tied it to the dock and then quickly brought our luggage into the house as I simply looked out over the ocean in awe. "This is way too much," I muttered as I felt Edward wrap his arm around my waist and pull me towards him.

"It's never enough Bella. Considering all we have been through this past year, I could buy you this island and it still wouldn't be enough," declared Edward firmly as he kissed my neck gently and I think I might have actually gasped slightly.

Edward generously tipped the gentleman who brought us to the island and he was gone almost immediately. Edward swept me up into his arms and carried me over the threshold of what I would forever call our 'Den of Sin.' The small house had two bedrooms; the master bedroom was on the second floor loft, where our luggage now lay. Both rooms had big king sized beds covered in luscious white linens, lavish mosquito netting and bamboo ceiling fans graced the ceilings. The living room was completely stocked with DVD's & CD's, and the bathroom featured a huge garden tub as well as a separate shower with a bench and showerheads on both sides.

From the living room, there was a 180 degree view of the Caribbean and through the huge windows I couldn't help but smile at the hammock, private beach and small plunge pool. I had visions of doing very naughty things to my husband at each spot, repeatedly and I smiled cheerfully.

"Penny for your thoughts," asked Edward when I finally collapsed on the couch and realized just how tired I was.

"I was just thinking about how beautiful everything is here," I fibbed slightly as I looked out at the window and yawned loudly. The time change and jet lag was catching up to me because before I knew it, I was asleep on the couch with Edward for a somewhat lengthy nap.

When I woke up, Edward was already stirring beside me and the clock on the mantel read nine o'clock and it was already dark outside. As much as I wanted to go to bed, I suddenly found myself with a second wind and I was very hungry so I made Edward and I some pasta from the supplies that were in the stocked kitchen, which we ate on the small patio off the dining room. "So, are you as awake as I am?" asked Edward as he shoveled a big bite of spaghetti into his mouth and I smiled in return.

"Yup. I was actually thinking that it's warm enough to go for a swim down in the water, what do you think?" I asked with a slight wink that surely looked more like I had something in my eye. Edward nodded his head and continued eating eagerly. After we finished eating, I got dressed in a white eyelet bikini that Alice had packed and headed down to the beach with some huge towels after telling Edward to meet me there. I nervously stuck one foot into the water and discovered it was actually very warm, so I stepped in further into the water as Edward turned on the outdoor lights to make everything more visible.

"Why didn't you wait for me?" he asked in frustration as he slowly ambled into the water and pulled me into his arms, the water splashing gently around us.

"It was calling out to me," I said with a laugh as I felt his hands grip firmly on my ass, but his hands were slipped under my bikini bottoms and directly against my skin. I groaned lightly as his fingers moved inwards and I suddenly found him rubbing my clit, teasing me slowly.

"Is anything else calling out to you?" he asked seductively as my hands gripped his shoulders and I let out a growl as he licked my neck before peppering kisses down to the swell of my breast.

"You always call to me Edward," I said sincerely as I kissed his lips and bit down on the bottom one, a little harder than intended. Before I had to chance to apologize, two of Edward's fingers were buried inside of me and I was throwing my head back in pleasure as he suddenly began sucking furiously on my neck. I untied the top of my bikini before reaching behind my back and untying the remaining strap. I grabbed at my top before it disappeared into the abyss because even though it was tiny, it was very cute and I knew I would want to wear it again.

I was about to toss it towards the beach as I felt Edward walk us towards the beach and out of the water, so I dropped my top on the sand. I shivered slightly as the air hit my naked, wet skin, but the heat was still palpable between Edward and me. I had noticed that while I was in the water waiting for him, he had laid down our towels on the beach, clearly intending for something a little more than swimming to take place on our private beach. As he set me down on the blankets and tugged my bottoms off, his shorts following soon after, I looked at the moonlight reflecting on the ocean and was immediately left short of breath.

I let Edward lay me down against the softness of the towels and knew I would regret this once I was showering sand out of various locations, but as I felt his lips descend onto my clit, I didn't care if sea turtles came out and started mating beside us, I wanted him more than ever. I reached my hand down and my fingers threaded through his hair as his tongue worked its magic on me and I was arching my back in pleasure. His fingers re-entered me and I couldn't help but gasp at the contact, my body silently begged for more since I seemed unable to verbalize my needs.

Thankfully, my husband seemed more in tune with me than I was because mere moments later, I felt him thrust his cock inside of me and I screamed in pleasure with my first orgasm of the night. Edward smirked at me and gripped my hips as he ground his knees against the coarse sand and continued to drive his hard dick into me. I moaned his name a few times, but that was the most coherent I was during our entire love making session and I heard him grunt my own name during his release and my subsequent second orgasm. At least I think he muttered my name.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he pulled me to him so I wasn't sitting in the sand, but rather across his knees. I let out a deep breath I didn't know I holding and held his face between my hands as he wrapped his arm around my waist, holding me in place.

"I'm fine. I love you so much and I honestly can't believe I get you for the rest of my life," I said genuinely as he smiled brightly and kissed my forehead.

"I love you too Isabella Cullen."

**EPOV**

I lifted her off of the sand and carried her back towards the small beach house. I had noticed an outdoor shower buried away in the palm trees and had lit the overhead light before strolling down to the beach earlier, so I carried Bella there, eager to wash away the sand from both of our bodies. I put Bella down gently on the coarse tile floor of the shower and quickly turned on the water, checking the temperature before bringing her body back against mine and under the stream of the shower.

It wasn't too cool or too hot, but just perfect, a lot like our night had been and it was the first one of many and I was looking forward to our time on the island over the next two weeks. I opened the container of body wash that was sitting on a small inlaid shelf of the shower and lathered up my hands before turning Bella around so her back was towards me. I slowly moved my soapy hands across her shoulders and back before moving down to her firm ass, which I held a little longer than was necessary considering I was only supposed to be washing her.

The water poured down her back and washed the soap away as I bent down at my knees and began to move my soapy hands along her legs. I rinsed the soap from my hands non-chalantly before moving my hands back up her legs to her wet slit and clearly caught her off guard.

"Edward," she chastised as I laughed lowly and stood back up before turning her body around to face me.

"You didn't think I was done with you yet did you?" I asked with a grin as I leaned forward and kissed her passionately, wrapping my hand around her waist and pulling her against my straining cock. I wasn't sure if Bella would reciprocate my advances, but before I had to chance to react, she pushed me against the shower wall and gripped my cock firmly in her hands.

"Perhaps I should get a chance to play too," she said as I moved the showerhead away from my body and the warm water began to pour down Bella's back as she bent down before me and took my hard cock into her mouth. It was sheer heaven.

Her tongue worked circles around my length before she pulled out gently and focused solely on the head of my cock, which made me groan in pleasure. I held back the urge to hold her head and instead let my hands grip the tile forcefully as she slipped my entire cock back into her mouth and began sucking eagerly. "Oh fuck," I muttered as I felt my dick hit the back of her throat for the first time that night.

Bella pulled me out of her mouth for a moment and stroked me as she licked the head like a lollipop and then sucked me back in. She growled slightly and the reverberations made me moan in ecstasy. I couldn't take it anymore and needed to be inside of her as quickly as possible so when she pulled me out of her mouth again, I gripped her arms and pulled her up till she was standing and then turned her around till her back was against the wall, before I lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around my waist.

"I need to be inside of you Bella," I groaned as I dropped my face to her neck and began kissing and sucking on her wet skin eagerly. My cock moved against her wet lips, teasing her slightly before I felt her grip my cock and slide it inside of her waiting pussy, both of us sighing in appreciation. I held one hand firm against the cool tile with my other one holding her in place as I fucked her as hard as I could against the wall, her hands wrapped firmly around my neck as suddenly felt the water cascading over both of our bodies. I saw Bella's hand move back against my neck and she began kissing my lips fiercely as I continued thrusting my cock inside of her.

I felt her hand snake between our bodies, no doubt going for her clit, which aroused me to no end. I was on the verge of my own release when I heard her let out a small moan which featured my name. I doubled up my motions and was spilling inside my wife within seconds after she screamed for me again.

I was officially spent.

"You can put me down now," sighed Bella as I reluctantly released my grip on her and my cock slipped out of her and she finally stood back on her feet. I turned off the water in the shower and grabbed a towel that was sitting on a nearby chair, wrapping it tightly around her body before grabbing one for myself and draping it around my waist. We walked back into the house and as I changed into some boxer shorts, Bella changed into a skimpy negligee that made me want to take her all over again.

"Those clothes are just evil Bella," I said with a sigh as she climbed up into our bed and wrapped her arm over my chest.

"Blame your sister. There is nothing even close to comfortable clothing in my luggage," she said with a reluctant laugh as she cuddled closer to me and I turned off the television. I pulled the blanket up over our bodies and got comfortable beside Bella again.

"Let's go to sleep so we can pick this up tomorrow," I said with a grin as I wrapped my arm around her stomach, holding her closing and resting my lips against her temple as we slipped into an easy sleep.

The very next day when Bella and I finally stumbled out of bed, we ordered lunch from the main hotel and simply lounged around the house. After lunch was finished, we gathered up some of the supplies in the house and went snorkeling, where we both enjoyed checking out all of the colorful fish. When we finished in the water, we laid around on the beach for a little while making out like teenagers, which was the most fun part of the day for me.

The next day, Bella and I arranged to head to the mainland to enjoy a day trip which included zip lining through the jungles of Belize and an aerial jungle tour. We had a tour guide who explained everything in depth to us about the excursion. We basically traversed between different tree platforms almost a hundred feet above the forest floor and at each platform we were advised additional information about the jungle, such as the climate, the animals which lived there and more.

During one of the trips between platforms, I turned my body upside down in the harness, which scared the hell out of Bella who was traveling behind me. I knew nothing would happen as I had seen our guide do it earlier, but she clearly envisioned me plummeting to my death on our honeymoon, which I felt a little remorseful for. The entire outing was awesome and I think I took almost two hundred photos of the scenery alone, which Bella informed me would soon grace the walls of our living room, when she had them framed.

When the tour was over just after lunch, Bella and I strolled through the town and picked up various souvenirs for our family, particularly Logan who made us promise to bring him back something. No one else really expected us to pick up anything for them as they probably assumed we would never leave the bedroom. We got Logan a cute little shell necklace and one of the shells was inscribed with the words 'big brother' on the inside, which Bella declared the perfect gift. I however, wasn't so sure since he was a six year old boy who would probably prefer one of the wooden trucks to the necklace, but I didn't argue. There was no way I was stupid enough to argue with my wife on our honeymoon.

"Do you want to stay on the mainland for dinner?" Bella asked me curiously as we strolled through the lobby of the hotel and noticed they were having dinner and dancing for couples.

"No. I've been with other people all flipping day. I would like to be alone with my wife tonight," I said succinctly as she nodded her head in agreement, clearly on the same page as me. We took a boat back to our private hideaway after ordering dinner to be delivered to us and we rested in the living room for a while watching Casino Royale on DVD until our food arrived. We ate outside on the patio overlooking the beach and as we discussed the joys of our first few days of married life, I couldn't help but feel sheer bliss.

The very next day, Bella and I woke up late and made love in our bed for what seemed like hours. When we finally broke free of each other, we showered, ate some food and then changed into our swimsuits. We played in the water for a little bit before Bella claimed she was tired and we decided to go up onto the beach and rest on the oversized hammock.

"This is the life," sighed Bella as I pulled her against my body in the hammock and I was suddenly struck with a great idea. I climbed out of the hammock and strolled into the house. "Where are you going?" called Bella as I remained silent and I grabbed a towel from the bathroom before heading back outside. The sand beneath the hammock was riddled with rocks and I feared getting one lodged into my knee as I thought about what I was about to do. I was nervous for some reason, and it certainly wasn't the first time I had done this, but I had visions of Bella falling out of the hammock and didn't think I could live with myself if that happened.

"Can you just do what I ask?" I said sweetly as Bella nodded her head once I was standing in front of her. I lifted her up under her arms and repositioned her in the center of the hammock, her legs dangling off. I quickly pulled her bikini bottoms off of her, which resulted in a small gasp and huge smirk from Bella. I grabbed one ankle and hitched her heel into the netting of the hammock to the left of her and followed suit with the right, leaving my sexy wife completely wide open to my ministrations.

"Mr. Cullen… you look like you are about to dine on your last meal," she said smugly as I ran my finger down the length of her slit before getting comfortable on my knees before her.

"I'm praying to the shrine that is my gorgeous wife," I said solemnly as I licked her length before leaning back. "Make sure you tell me if you get a cramp. I plan to be here a while." I smiled happily at Bella before moving my face between her legs and showering as much attention on her wetness as I could. I kept my eyes trained on her, reveling in witnessing her reactions to my actions with my fingers and tongue. I circled her clit with my tongue for a moment before I shoved two fingers inside of her and began pumping them slowly as my tongue then flicked her clit.

"Fuck me," she groaned as I sped up the movements with my fingers and was soon hearing her pant as she neared her first orgasm. As she came all over my fingers, I licked them eagerly and then latched my mouth onto her clit, which made her shudder above me. My hands moved gently along her inner thighs as I listened to Bella's sighs and groans as I watched her face, which flickered between happy smiles to slight frowns when I had no contact with her body whatsoever.

I slipped my tongue back into her and began tongue fucking her more furiously when I noticed her own hand on her clit and smiled smugly. Bella's other hand was behind her head, grasping the edge of the hammock as she bucked her hips slightly, her pussy practically grinding onto my face as I felt her cum again and I leaned back for a moment.

"Are you going to fuck me with your hard cock?" she asked slowly as simply looked at her.

"I'm actually not sure sweetheart. My intention was solely to go down on you and get you off as much as I could, but I don't think I could refuse you if you asked nicely," I said with a wink as I felt her grip my wrist and pull my body towards her.

"Edward, fuck me or I will scream," said Bella forcefully as I moved closer to her and pulled my shorts off, my cock springing free from its fabric restraints. I positioned myself in front of Bella and smiled smugly at her.

"You'll be screaming alright," I said confidently as I thrust inside of her and I heard her growl in appreciation. I pulled her legs down from the edge of the hammock and she wrapped them around my waist, pulling me deeper inside of her. The hammock swayed a little too much for my liking as I pounded my cock inside of her, so I slowed slightly and rubbed my thumb hard on Bella's clit, eliciting a groan from her.

"Fuck, I want to cum for you so badly," she yelled out into the warm sun drenched air as I rubbed harder on her and she gripped the netting of the hammock with her hands before bucking her hips several times and releasing in passion. I followed right after her and ended up resting my head on her stomach, feeling extremely tired considering we had had sex five times since we woke up several hours ago.

"Are you working on some sort of record?" she asked me curiously when I finally lifted my head from her and used the towel to clean her up as best as I could.

"What do you mean?" I asked with a laugh as I collapsed onto the hammock beside her.

"What do I mean? I mean… did you pop some Viagra this morning because you have been ravishing me since nine o'clock this morning. I'm not complaining, but I am wondering if you will let me come up for air. I thought maybe you wanted to reach some goal of fucking me ten times in one day," she said with a laugh as I wrapped my arm around her and kissed her neck.

"There's no goal, but now that you mention it, ten times sounds wonderful."

The rest of our honeymoon was paradise. We made love, we listened to music, we danced when there was no music playing and we simply relished every single second we spent together. I knew it would be rough going back to our normal lives of working, spending time with family and friends, but every single thing that caused me stress would be worth it at the end of the day when I came home to Bella.

On our final night on the island, we enjoyed a quiet dinner on the beach, overlooking the sunset and once we were finished, I put everything back in the kitchen and took my stunning wife on a stroll down the beach.

"I really couldn't stand you when I met you," Bella admitted ruefully as I draped my arm over her shoulder and I watched the water splash her feet.

"The feeling was mutual sexy. I thought you were the bitchiest person I had ever met," I retorted as she laughed easily beside me. "When did you know you loved me?"

"When I found a Christmas tree in the living room of the cabin. The fact that you stayed up late to put it up for me literally made me want to throw you on the floor and have my way with you. Unfortunately, I had to make a run to the store for something sexy. What the hell happened to us?" she said with a laugh as I kissed her temple and moved her closer to the water, which was now soaking the very bottom of the long white sundress I currently had visions of tugging off of her.

"I saw you doing yoga poses in the living room and I couldn't take my eyes off of your firm ass," I admitted simply as I stopped in my tracks and she walked ahead of me, again I was checking out her luscious ass. "Are you wearing underwear Mrs. Cullen?"

"Yeah and they're from Target… want to see?" she said seductively as she lifted up the bottom of her dress and pulled it over her ass to reveal the tiny white thong she had bought at that store just over a year ago.

"Is this your attempt to seduce me, because I think it's working masterfully," I said as she ran down the beach, peeling her dress off as she moved and I gave chase.

"I don't need to seduce you Edward, you're all mine now." I finally caught up to Bella and wrapped her in my arms, pulling her down onto the beach as the water lapped at my feet and I hovered my body above hers.

"No Bella, you're all mine," I said as I enveloped her in a deep kiss and let out a low sigh, thankful that I would get to kiss this woman for the rest of our lives.

**A/N: Okay, as a thanks to everyone who reviewed, alerted and added this story as a favorite, I am offering a one time only special… teasers of the epilogue for those who review. I never do this, so you must know I'm serious. I know a lot of other writers offer teasers but since I prefer to churn our chapters quickly, I never offer… so here's the one chance offer… If you review, I will send you a teaser of the epilogue. Exciting isn't it? … off to write Epilogue, which should be posted in its entirety by the weekend.**


	43. The Epilogue

**A/N: Ah… the epilogue… I really hate to see this story end and thanks to all those who loved the story enough to request a sequel, but it's just not gonna happen. As much as I love writing these characters, wouldn't everyone else like to see some of the other stories I have in my demented head?**

**Anyways, I had the most reviews ever for the last chapter, over 130 actually. For some writers this is small potatoes, but for me it was huge. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed and read the story!**

**A quick shout out to a few particular people, as per usual. Maggiemay14 for her constant encouragement of the plot and the smut and my partner in smut, flightlessbird11 (go check out her story ppl!!). Lovebuggkiss made a lovely banner for CF which is on my homepage, and she fucking rocks!**

**There's also lysvia, grtchn, clancy119, ICPinkFuzzieBunnies, addictedtotwilight79, glo4twilight, nelln, freakybella, signkat, groovechild1964, fanficreader83, espritblanc, rms33, kikikinz, bacmel79, weasleyweakness, Natesmomma, mssammydean, TheGreatAli and DeeDee AKA WetDishRag. You guys made my days, nights, weeks and months with your fuckawesome reviews.**

**Thanks to everyone who joined us over on twitter and feel free to add me if you'd like. I'm boring, but atleast I gave info on updates and when the story has gone to my Beta. I will be focusing on my two active stories before posting anything else, but I do have some things in the works.**

**As always, I don't own twilight, but I wish like hell I was at Comic-Con this weekend.**

**BPOV**

When Edward and I got home from our honeymoon in early January, we were surprised by all the changes that had happened since we had left. Renee had ended up traveling back to Seattle with Esme and Carlisle and was staying with them for a few weeks while she looked for a job and housing in the city. Apparently she was a little more eager to stay around than I had expected, but I later found out it had to do more with a certain Deputy Tyler she met at the station one day when she was in Forks with Kate.

The more surprising news was Jasper and Alice's engagement, which she gushed to me about during lunch a few days after we got home. "We ended up staying at the cabin for New Years Eve and he set up this huge treasure hunt for me. When I finally found the last clue, which was a key, I tried to open every single door in the house, finally finding him in Emmett's bedroom, down on his knee with the box wide open in his hand," she explained to me with a huge smile. I was beyond ecstatic for Alice who had known for years that Jasper was her soul mate, but had been too busy screwing it up for herself to let him come to terms with it. They were already planning a summer wedding outside in her parents' backyard.

My mom made the permanent move back to Seattle in May, ending up in a small place not too far from Emmett and Rosalie's house. Of course, once Renee discovered this fact she and Rose struck up an odd friendship and my mom even offered to babysit on a regular basis if they needed it. Rosalie was a little nervous about leaving my flighty mother watching out for her six year old son, so I ended up popping in to visit them by 'accident' the first time Rosalie had relented and allowed her to babysit. I was a little surprised when I found my mother and Logan watching baseball on TV and discussing player stats. At least if there was one thing my mother knew well, it was baseball.

"Are you spying on us?" asked Renee with a grin as they stopped discussing Ichiro Suzuki's batting average and they both looked at me expectantly.

"No, I'm not spying on you," I lied as my mother raised her eye brow at me, clearly not believing a word out of my mouth. "I came over to discuss some things for the baby shower with Rosalie but she's obviously not here."

"Bella, besides Phil, you are the worst liar ever. It's okay if you are looking out for her and Logan here," said my mom as she ruffled his hair and he took a bite of the cookie in front him, while his eyes remained glued to the game. "Rosalie and Emmett are at their final doctor's appointment before the new one gets here."

"Oh yeah… right," I replied stupidly as my mother glared at me anxiously before patting the couch for me to sit down.

"Have you and Edward given any thought to having kids?" she asked with a smile.

"Ooh, then I would get to be a cousin right?" asked Logan cheerfully before he came to a solemn realization. "Would I have to share my toys?"

"Logan, you are going to have to share your toys when your new brother or sister comes soon anyways," my mother admonished him as he nodded his head. She was actually doing a great job with him today and I felt bad for the thoughts both Rosalie and I had about her capability to take care of him. After all, she had single handedly raised me until I was seventeen, so it should have been no surprise. I turned out pretty decent if you ask me.

"Oh yeah," he replied dejectedly as my mother eyed me up again, waiting for an answer to her question.

"We're not ready yet mother," I explained to her simply. "Edward and I discussed it a little bit ago and we've decided to hold off making any decisions until after our one year anniversary. Anyways, your way too young to be a grandmother."Renee nodded her head in agreement as I threw her own words back at her. Thankfully, that was the end of that discussion and we watched the end of the game in peace.

Rosalie gave birth to Chloe Cullen on June 26th, with a nervous Emmett freaking out in the delivery room. Edward and I had been on hand at the hospital with their parents as we awaited the blessed event but Alice and Jasper were stuck in Dallas due to bad weather after they visited his parents for a few days. Logan was at home with my mother making a congratulations card for Rosalie until he was allowed to come and visit. Chloe had been a bit tiny, but she captured the heart of all the Cullen men the moment they saw her.

"She looks like Emmett," said Edward as he looked down at her and rubbed his fingers tenderly along her head while I held her. She had a small amount of brown hair and the cutest button nose I had ever seen and I immediately wanted one of my own. I felt like Marisa Tomei in 'My Cousin Vinny' when she complains about her biological clock ticking.

"No she doesn't, she looks like Rosalie," I countered as Esme and Carlisle peeked over my shoulder at their new granddaughter. "I take that back. I actually I think she looks a bit like Rose's old mail man Fred."

"Whatever Bella," said Emmett as he took the sleeping infant from me carefully and acted like he had been holding babies for years, when this was only this third time ever. He was a natural father, as evidenced through his interaction with Logan and it didn't surprise me that he and Rosalie planned to add even more to their family in the future. After their wedding of course, because Emmett had finally proposed the night before, which was what brought on Rosalie's labor to begin with.

"Have you guys set a date?" asked Esme as Emmett passed Chloe off to her to hold for a little bit as she sat in a chair beside Rosalie's bed.

"Not yet. We were a little disrupted by Rosalie's water breaking," laughed Emmett as he sat on the bed beside his fiancée and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, kissing the top of her head. Considering she had just given birth a few hours earlier, Rosalie looked radiant.

"I was thinking next spring, maybe in April or May. I don't want to wait too long," said Rosalie as she gripped Emmett's hand firmly and he kissed her again. "I guess you're going to want to call the Olympic to see if we can get their ballroom, right Esme?"

"Do you want that?" asked my mother in law with a wide smile. I knew she wanted to throw someone a big wedding and since it wasn't either of her other children, she was left with Emmett and Rosalie, who both nodded their head as I could already see the wheels spinning in Esme's mind with ideas for the wedding. "I'll call Frank down at the hotel and see what we can get arranged in such short notice."

A month after Chloe's birth, Jasper and Alice got married in a small and intimate ceremony on July 31st in Carlisle and Esme's backyard. It was quintessential Alice as even though the wedding was small, it was lavish. There were less than fifty people in attendance and there were several round tables surrounding the pool which had been covered to use as a dance floor. Each table had a gorgeous hydrangea flower arrangement on it with accents of other flowers, but the scent was overwhelming. Alice looked beautiful in a knee length beaded and embroidered satin gown with tulle overlay that clung to her best assets and Jasper was a beaming groom in his simple black tuxedo. I had never seen him look as happy as he did the day they got married, and I had known him for almost six years.

Thankfully for Alice, Esme was on her best behavior during the entire ceremony. It was during the reception that she imbibed a little too much of the alcohol that was readily available and we later found her making out with Carlisle in the bushes. Actually, making out was probably too simple a term. We found her trying to ravish him in the bushes as he awkwardly tried to push his drunken wife away.

"Esme, this is bloody ridiculous," we heard Carlisle call out from the side of the house as Edward and I nervously went to investigate.

"Are you guys okay?" I asked tentatively as I heard Esme's patented drunken chuckle.

"Can you please lift your mother off of me?" asked my father-in-law as I stifled the laughter that was trying to come out. When Edward tried to pull his mother from his father, she kept pulling on the cummerbund of his tuxedo, trying to keep herself attached to him.

"Carlisle… please," she begged casually as I felt like an intruder in their situation. "I need to get laid baby… get rid of the kids and we can go do it in the back of your Mercedes like the old days. What do you say sexy?" she pleaded drunkenly as I noticed Renee dancing with Deputy Tyler out on the dance floor. I was still in shock that they were still dating after five months, but apparently my mother was a little smitten. He was a little younger than her, so Alice and Rosalie relished in calling her a cougar, but I was just glad that she was happy.

"Esme, this is our daughter's wedding, you'd think you could show a little decorum," explained Carlisle as he tried to fix his suit and wipe the leaves from his hair and jacket. Esme stuck her lip out and began pouting like a child, which was when I finally had to break out into laughter. Thankfully, Edward joined me in finding the humor in the situation.

"We fucked at Edward's wedding… why not Alice's? Shit, we'll make it three for three and do it in a supply closet at Emmett's too probably, so why the reluctance stud? Did you run out of Cialis? You're a damned doctor, prescribe yourself some more," she announced simply as I wished I had run from them when we first stumbled upon them. He ended up whispering something to her quietly once he was composed himself and they disappeared together into the house to not be seen again until the next afternoon.

Not long after Alice's wedding, Edward and I decided to throw caution to the wind and got rid of my birth control. We hadn't really planned to have children so early in the relationship, but we both rationalized that it could take a while to actually get pregnant and since we were both excited about having children, now was the perfect time. We didn't tell anyone that we were trying to conceive because we didn't want the pressure, but we did start looking for a house to raise our kids in.

We ended up with a beautiful craftsman style home in the Magnolia area of Seattle, not far from Puget Sound. The house had magnificent views of the Olympic Mountains, 4 bedrooms, a stunning dream kitchen with dark wood cabinets and picture windows in the living room that looked out over the neighborhood. The master bedroom had views of the sound as well as a fireplace, ensuite bathroom and was enormous. We christened three of the rooms the very first night we moved in and I couldn't have been happier.

**EPOV**

The first year of wedded bliss flew by in a blur for both Bella and I. So much had happened within our families in that time, it was hard to comprehend where the year had gone. For our first anniversary, we celebrated the holidays with our family and then I whisked Bella away for a few days in New York City, which was where we conceived our first child. A son named Cooper, who was born on September 20th. Bella had managed to have an easy pregnancy and delivery, but I was a nervous wreck the entire time. I read every book known to man about pregnancy and was always looking out for her, although I think it tended to bother her a bit that I was so overprotective of them. When Coop came into the world, he was anything but easy though. We suffered through our share of sleepless nights, colic and diaper rash during the first few months, but it was worth it every single time I held my son or saw his smiling little face and the tiny bit of copper colored hair on his head.

Late at night when Bella would be catching up on sleep, I would take baby duty and feed Coop his bottle while rocking him in the nursery. It was the best part of my entire day when we spent time bonding. I would burp him when he was done and then just hold him until he fell asleep, usually spouting some words of wisdom to my clueless baby. On more than one occasion, Bella would find me asleep in the chair, with Coop cuddled in my arms and she would wake me up, lay him back in his crib and then we would go back to sleep in each other's arms. Life was perfect.

Rosalie and Emmett got married that April when Bella was pregnant. The entire thing was a little more extravagant than I think either of them planned, but my mother was happy and sober for the entire event. Although, I do think her and may father managed to sneak away to make good on their promise to have sex at everyone of their kids weddings. A few months later, my parents decided to renew their vows on the thirty fifth wedding anniversary, which was in October, in their living room. It was at this point that Alice and Jasper decided to announce that they were expecting twins and they were due the following May.

"Maybe this is a good time to let everyone know Rosalie and I are expecting again as well," laughed Emmett after everyone had congratulated Alice and Jasper. I looked at Rosalie in surprise but she simply nodded her head and smiled.

"Apparently your brother is trying to start his own football team," she said with a laugh as I offered up a big hug followed closely by Bella, who was cradling a sleeping Coop in her arms. Logan was now eight and Chloe had turned one in June, but I was surprised that they had decided to have another one so soon.

"This one was totally planned, unlike the last two," laughed Emmett as I took Cooper from Bella's arms so that she could give him a hug and get a little rest.

"The more the merrier as far as I am concerned," exclaimed Esme happily. "If you each decided to have ten kids, I will be ecstatic."

"Ten is a little over the top," laughed Renee, who had recently moved Deputy Tyler into her love shack. Even they had been discussing getting married, although they were beaten to the punch by Charlie and Kate who ran off to Vegas last New Years and got married by an Elvis impersonator.

They had both been divorced and didn't need a lavish wedding, although both Bella and Esme insisted on throwing them a reception back in Forks to celebrate the wedding. Everyone had proceeded to get drunk that night and the party ended when some on-duty cops had to come and silence us after they had received several complaints from people who lived near the hall we held it at. Both Renee and Kate got a little testy with the cops but my mother thought they were strippers, which made the night ten times more awkward. I think Charlie is still being teased by the other guys on the force.

The very next May, the entire family sat in the waiting room of Southwest Hospital awaiting both Rosalie and Alice to deliver. Alice and Jasper's twin sons Andrew and Alexander were born first late at night on May 15th and a few hours later, in the early hours of the 16th, Rosalie gave birth to her second daughter Amelia.

"Okay, you have an appointment to get to," said Rosalie to Emmett who looked completely confused. "Don't look at me like that. We discussed this and three kids are more than enough for us Emmett."

"You never said I had to get it done today," he said with a sigh as I put two and two together and realized she had booked him an appointment to have a vasectomy. "I'm not sure I am ready yet." Everyone who was in the room with them casually disappeared, including Bella and I, but we could still hear them fighting about it in the waiting room. We decided to head down to the nursery to see Andrew and Alex and some of the other babies instead.

"When do you want to try again?" I asked Bella after she finished her call to Renee to make sure that Coop was doing alright. He was already a year and a half, and a very curious little boy. We had to keep him out of basically everything and had child proofed the entire house, which had cost way more than I expected. When we found out the girls had gone into labor, Renee gladly drove over to the house to stay with a sleeping Cooper to make sure he stayed asleep.

"Whenever you're ready for another one, I am too," she admitted bashfully as I wrapped my arms around her and we watched our nephew sleeping in the small bassinet in the nursery.

"And if I said let's go find a closet and try to have another one?" I asked with a grin as Bella turned her head towards me, a little shocked at my request, but aroused nonetheless.

"I would say lead the way husband of mine," she replied as I grabbed her hand and we practically ran down the hallway until we found a janitor's closet that we locked behind us as we spent the next fifteen minutes ravishing each other to release.

As we walked back towards Alice and Rosalie's joint room, we found Emmett sitting on a sofa in a nearby waiting room with his head in his hands. I asked Bella to head on without me and I sat down beside him, my hand immediately resting on his back. "So, she wants to clip your manhood huh?"

"I can't do it man. Would it be mean of me if I told her I did it even though I didn't?" asked Emmett, the confusion and uncertainty clear on his face.

"Do you want more kids?" I asked him as he took a sip of the shitty machine made coffee that was in front of him. He shrugged his shoulders and was silent for a moment before finally speaking.

"I don't know if I do. I live for my kids, you know that, but I don't want that option taken away from me. I think Rose is petrified that if we do have another one, it will lead to another one and then another one and then we'll be driving the family around in a bus and TLC will get on us to do a TV show or something," laughed Emmett nervously.

"Go tell this to Rosalie. Don't mislead her into thinking you got the damned thing when you didn't. That's just a divorce in the making man," I explained to him easily as he nodded his head and stood up. I made to back to the girls' joint room before he did and when he showed up he clutched a bouquet of flowers in his hand. Alice was fast asleep, so we left them alone and let them work out their issues. He never did get the vasectomy and almost two years later they had their third and final daughter, Ella.

Bella and I continued on with our attempts at conceiving another child and after almost a year of trying, things were getting tense between us. Bella was feeling disappointed that we hadn't conceived yet, especially since things went so easily when we had Cooper. After a few visits to the doctor, they determined that there was no physical reason why Bella and I weren't conceiving, but the stress of everything wasn't helping either. So shortly after we celebrated Cooper's second birthday, Esme and Carlisle looked after him for a week and we took off for a second honeymoon back in Belize.

Despite my best efforts, Bella still seemed nervous after the first few days on the island, so one night while we were lounging in bed; I pulled out some body lotion and gave her an impromptu body massage in an effort to relax her. "Is this alright?" I asked nervously as I worked my hands against her shoulders, trying my best to relieve the tension that was obvious in her body.

"Oh yeah… it's nice," she muttered quietly to me as I moved down her back slowly before moving onto her thighs and calves and then rolling her over onto her back. I had already peeled her shirt and pants off, so she was left in her panties, so I quickly shed those and massaged her arms, stomach and thighs again, this time working my fingers closer to her obviously wet mound.

I took my time and was extremely gentle with her and before I knew it, her body felt like mush in my hands, so I took advantage of her relaxed state and slipped my finger into her wet pussy, causing her to groan loudly. "You didn't think I was going to get you naked and let us not enjoy ourselves did you?" I asked with a grin as she shook her head vigorously and then spread her legs open, welcoming me to have my way with her.

I yanked my boxers down quickly and laid face down on the bed, taking her clit into my mouth eagerly as I rubbed her thighs, continuing to keep her in a completely relaxed state. After her first release, I repositioned us onto our sides and I held her leg up, hitching it up onto me as I slid my cock into her while spooning her body against mine, my other hand firmly gripped on her breast. I continually thrust myself into her and urged her to play with herself as our orgasms were building and when we finally reached ecstasy together, I kissed her neck sweetly and cuddled into her.

Sure enough, a several weeks later, we were pregnant and I had to ruefully admit to Bella that I had done a little research online into positions that were conducive to conception and had tried most of them while we were away. I thought she would be upset with me that I didn't share that information with her initially, but I knew it would stress her out, so I didn't. She was simply pleased that I had gone to the effort to try and help make everything easier on her.

This pregnancy was the complete opposite of Bella's first. Whereas with Cooper everything went smoothly, Bella suffered through gestational diabetes and was on a strict diet and had to exercise a little more than usual, but Cooper and I joined in with her and made things a little more bearable. Things started to spiral out of my control the moment Bella went into labor, two months early.

"It's too soon," I kept mumbling as Bella sat on the edge of the bed, talking to her mother on the phone to come and stay with Cooper, who was fast asleep in his bed.

"It'll be fine Edward," she tried to reassure me once she was off the phone, but I was officially a basketcase.

"What if something goes wrong? What if the baby isn't big enough or developed enough?" I yelled out as I started to cry as Cooper stumbled into the room rubbing his eyes and looking very concerned. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand and tried to compose myself. I didn't need my two year old son seeing me have a breakdown.

"What wrong?" he asked as Bella opened her arms to him and he quickly shuffled over to her, his favorite teddy bear clutched in his hands.

"Nothing is wrong baby. Momma and Poppa have to go to the hospital so we can have the new baby. Grammy is on her way over to be with you," said Bella, her voice cracking slightly. I knew she was as worried as I was, but was succeeding at hiding it. I knelt down beside Coop and swept him up into my arms.

"Remember how Momma and I told you that when the new baby comes we'll have to go away for a little bit… that's happening now, but I'll be back soon to take you to see your new brother or sister," I explained to him as he nodded his head lightly.

"I want sissy," he stated firmly as Bella kissed the top of his head and I helped him back to his room, where he easily crawled back into bed. I watched him from the doorway making sure he fell back asleep and then went back to Bella, who was now pacing around the bedroom clutching her stomach.

"Are you okay?" I asked anxiously as she nodded her head.

"Yeah… I think I heard my mom's car pull up, let's go get this over with."

Carlie Hope Cullen was born later that day, May 2nd, and was almost two months early. I had prayed that the doctors would have been able to slow her labor, but it didn't happen and when they whisked her into surgery due to the placement of the baby, and I had to toss on some scrubs to join her, I started crying. The fear that both of them could be taken from me completely overwhelmed me, but a heart to heart with my father pulled me out of my depression and I strode into the OR with a big smile and supported Bella as best as I could, by holding her hand and kissing her temple.

Carlie spent the next few weeks in an incubator in the Neo-Natal Unit and had a little trouble breathing and some jaundice, but the doctors were thankful that it was nothing more serious. Bella and I spent every possible hour we could by Carlie's side, with both of our families helping out as much as they could with Cooper.

We were ecstatic in early June when Carlie's doctors declared her healthy enough to go home. Bella and I had been hoping for a few days that they would let us, so every day we went to the hospital, we had a bag in the trunk of the car with everything we needed for her and had the new infant car seat installed. Both of our parents came over to the house that night to welcome us home and help as much as possible with both kids.

"She tiny poppa," said Cooper when we made him sit on the couch and so my father could take a picture of him holding his little sister. He kissed the top of her head and I could hear Bella and Esme both 'awwing' behind me as the photo was taken.

"Of course she's tiny buddy, she was born a little early. In a while she'll be big enough to chase you around the house though," I said confidently as I gingerly picked Carlie back up and sat on the couch, cradling her in my arms like I used to do not that long ago with Cooper who would be three in a few months.

My mother whipped up some dinner for everyone as we sat around, trying our best to relax although I knew Bella was a bit nervous. When we finally slipped into bed that night, Cooper passed out in his new racecar bed and Carlie asleep in her bassinet in our room; I pulled Bella tight to my body and kissed her head. "You've been quiet since we brought Carlie home."

"Sorry, it's just a bit overwhelming to finally have her home with us," said Bella as she lifted her head up with Carlie made a slight noise before falling back to sleep. "We tried to have her for so long and then she finally got her, albeit a bit early, and it's just a miracle we have her home."

"She's perfect Bella, please don't worry," I said as I curled her closer to me so that her head was resting on my bare chest.

"I'm not worried, it's just… how did we get so lucky to have everything we ever wanted Edward?" she asked me as I rested a finger under her chin and tilted her head up slightly, placing a gentle kiss on her soft lips.

"I don't know Bella, but with you Cooper and Carlie, I am definitely the luckiest man alive."

-The End -

**A/N: I'm sending you on to a few stories I've found that have caught my attention.**

**Wolfpgirl has a great story called "Learn You Inside Out" which I began reading yesterday and couldn't put down. I'm a shitty reviewer and I know you read my shit, so I hope this makes up for it. LOL**

**Bettygale has one called "The Robert Pattinson Project" that I am betaing and is really good also. She's only a few chapters in, but updates frequently.**

**Espritblanc, one of my fellow Toronto girls, has a story going on called Sacrilege… go and read it. I've enjoyed every chapter thus far.**

**Don't forget the little C2 I have going on for underappreciated fics… Link on my profile.**

**There…. That should keep you guys busy until my next chapter update which will be Love Will Come Through.**


End file.
